2023.06.19
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Advancing the Digital Capacities
of SMEs & Startups
through Leveraging
Public-Private Partnership and Innovative Solutions for an Inclusive and
Sustainable Industrial Development
19
~ 21 July
2023
Workshop in hybrid format
Background
The word ‘4th revolution’
had been swallowing the whole society before the COVID-19 pandemic. Public and
private sectors were highly preoccupied with researching the trend and planning
possible strategies to lead or follow the wave. However, with the pandemic in
2020, our society was involuntarily introduced to the digitally transformed
world without sufficient time to prepare for the new trend.
Fortunately, this sudden
stimulus has spurred the digital evolution of global large conglomerates which
already possessed enough resources and capacities to adopt new technologies.
Yet, the shock resulted the majority of Asia and the Pacific SMEs and Startups
to be left behind. According to
the research by TDCX, a Singapore-based digital firm [1], 76% of ASEAN
SMEs are found to be still at the early stages of digitalization, and a third
of these SMEs have just started their digitalization during the
pandemic. Given that the SMEs in Southeast Asia region account for
97% of all businesses and 67% of the total employment, the economy is under the
risk of losing competitiveness unless closing the gap at the earliest
opportunity. That is,
the digitization of South-East Asia’s economy is being experienced unevenly,[2] and the gaps with large companies remain
huge, widening inequalities. Digital divides constrain productivity growth and further access to cutting-edge
digital technologies.
Nonetheless, the
post-covid era seems to restart the previous ‘4th revolution’,
and this might be new opportunities for SMEs and startups to gain momentum to
enhance their competitiveness. In addition, a 2023 Business trends article from
Financial Times advised businesses to watch generative Artificial Intelligence
(AI), represented by ChatGPT, since this new form of AI is highly expected to
unlock numerous opportunities or challenges for firms with its expansion to the
production of video and audio[3]. There is no exception of these possibilities to SMEs and startups.
However, the sole
existence of new digital technologies in the market does not guarantee firms’
success. Smaller firms are chronically facing heightened difficulties such as
lack of information, digital skills gaps, insufficient capital to finance,
volatile regulatory environment, and access to affordable digital
infrastructure[4]. This is being aggravated due to today’s high
interest rate and inflation which are economic challenges for firms. To address
these challenges, it is essential to support SMEs and Startups through both
public and private approaches: right policy framework and public financial support and
companies’ own digital innovation strategy and knowledge and financial support
from other leading firms and financial institutions.
Specifically, governments are requested to
place a priority on strengthening SMEs and startups' resilience, proactively
supporting e-commerce and e-government services, and connecting SMEs and
startups with innovation and digital solutions providers[5]. Private sectors are also playing an important role by
promoting digitalization among their networks, and specialized startups support
other SMEs to implement digital strategies through tailored services and
products[6]. They should have a collective mind to address structural
barriers such as information and digital infrastructure gaps and facilitate
fintech innovation[7]. Ultimately, cooperation among public and private actors is key
in enabling the digital shift of SMEs and startups to overcome the challenges
such as information and digital infrastructure gaps and seize the benefits of
digitalization[8]. In this regard, UNITAR CIFAL Jeju and UNIDO ITPO Korea hold a meaningful workshop for the diplomatic corps from the Asia Pacific region, policymakers and representatives of private-sector who are leading the change. The workshop identifies barriers as well as opportunities in the digitalization of SMEs and startups with a special focus on Public-Private Partnerships. It highlights how cross-sectoral cooperation could be leveraged through digital technology in Asia and the Pacific. The workshop will also provide a broad range of digital policy and strategies including SME financing, innovation, productivity, skills, and others. It eventually helps key actors at national and local levels localize innovation in their countries, further, achieve broader inclusive growth and economic development in the region.
Overview
Event Objectives
For the capacity building, this event will: ●
Offer
a venue for knowledge sharing and to discuss their regional status and
issues of supporting
the SMEs and startups for digitalization ● Provide an opportunity for commercial counsellors from Asia Pacific, entrepreneurs of SMEs and startups, and experts to share and exchange their good practices
Learning Objectives
After
this event, participants will be able to: ●
Raise
awareness of the challenges and opportunities for the inclusive and sustainable
growth of SMEs and startups ●
Have
the understanding of business models to enhance digital innovation, and skills’
capacity development, and furthermore policies and business strategies to
support access to finance, market and human capital
Contents and Structure
The training will be composed of the following sessions:
[Session 1]Shaping SMEs and
Startups' Ecosystem for Digital Transformationwith
a Special Focus on Policy Guidelines and Programs (for the Asia and the
Pacific)
[Session 2] Perceptions and Readiness of
ASEAN SMEs on Growth in the Digital Economy
[Session 3] From
SMEs’ Current State to Desired State: Solutions for & Opportunities
by Digital Transformation
and AI Readiness Assessment [Session 4] AI (i.e. Chat GPT, Bing AI) for SMEs: Opportunities or Challenges? [Session 5]Activation of Public-Private Partnership: Government Initiatives and Incentives to all interested SMEs and Startups [Session 6] Analysis and Implications of the Status of Digital Transformation of Korean Companies [Session 7] Success Stories and Outlook of Overseas Business of SMEs through Global PPP
**The sessions are subject to change **
Methodology
The training
will be comprised of: ●
Lectures
and presentations by experts ●
Self-assessment
exercise ●
Group
work and discussion ●
Field
visit
Target Audience
This event
is open to: ●
Commercial
counsellors from Asia Pacific and government officials of Asian countries residing
in Republic of Korea (by invitation only) ●
Representative
of SMEs and startups that are mainstreaming digital transformation
(Digitalization of business procedures, products, partnership with suppliers,
customers or other stakeholders, Public-Private Partnership (PPP), etc.) in
their business activities (by invitation only) ● Online participants from the Asia and the Pacific region who have deep interests in the inclusive economic growth leveraging digital transformation and Public and Private Partnership
Application Deadline
Online applicants who
want to attend this program are kindly requested to submit the application form
by 12 July 2023 through https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfPk0TOD9-l_b3sN9xZwcmzThI7aetoI-SqUZLfaj2ZKQkrUA/viewform?usp=sf_link.
● In-person
applicants will be contacted by the organizers through invitation.
*Kindly
note that only selected applicants will be notified individually.
Participants Requirements
Selected participants are
required to: ●
actively
engage in the training program ●
be
fluent in written and spoken English
Certificate ●
A
Certificate of Completion will be awarded to only those who have completed all
sessions in person, including group programs, and fulfilled a required task for
the program ●
The
participants will be awarded a certificate jointly issued by UNITAR, UNITAR
CIFAL Jeju, and UNIDO ITPO KOREA
Co-Host and Organizer
UNITAR CIFAL Jeju / Jeju
International Training Center http://cifaljeju.org/
UNIDO ITPO KOREA http://www.unido-itpo.kr
Inquiries
Program
*The above program is subject to change.
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