Startup training’s- Development of business ideas and construction of a business plan with women in Elbasan
The Center for Comparative and International Studies(CCIS) and Qendra Mesdheu (QM) have started the trainings and advising the selected group of women to participate in the program “Development of business ideas and construction of a business plan with women in Elbasan” part of the project IPA cross boarder project Macedonia- Albania: “Development of micro-enterprises of women in the cross-border area” funded by EU Delegation In Macedonia.
Increasing the participation of women in the labor market is crucial from the economic point of view in Albania and Macedonia in order to achieve a higher employment rate in our countries, as part of a region in advancement towards the bigger continental market.
The reference to the employment policy context is also closely related to the common objectives for equality between women and men, considered geographically and politically in the European framework. Such reference provides our project with the necessary theoretical background for the assessment of the existing situation. It permits to have it as an underpinning and incites to take advantage of known and tested pathways for achievement of specific goals. We do refer to concrete actions that have been proposed for addressing several issues related to both strategies, such as the economic independence of women and equality in decision-making.
We have appraised all the initiatives, in the regional and local level, especially those social packages that have reaffirmed the importance of fostering higher participation of women. The role of European Commission remains crucial, with its policy framework highlighting that gender gaps in employment rates, as well as other gender disparities in the labor market, need to be reduced or eliminated to decrease the risk of social exclusion and poverty among women and to achieve inclusive growth.
The above introduction has been done during our trainings in Elbasan (Dec 5, and Dec 12, 2018) with the intention to recognize the vast and most recent experiences, and additionally to adapt the suggested methods and instruments for stimulation of entrepreneurial spirit among women in Elbasan region.
Topic I – Why Do We Do a Business? What is the entrepreneur’s psychology?
This helped the participants to get acquainted with the motives that stimulate individuals to choose the “profession” of the entrepreneur. The analysis started with the main human needs in a market economy and goes on with description and explanation of the psychological factors, that usually prevent people from starting a venture. In most cases there are fear, difficult risk-taking and lack of self-esteem that become main obstacles to start a business. Consequently, it was helpful for the participants to be familiar with the psychological characteristics of entrepreneurs, understand that entrepreneurship is a process that is accomplished by applying a certain methodology, utilizing the knowledge and lived experience, through elaboration of original ideas and above all through acting and taking risk.
Topic II – Characteristics of the entrepreneur and the necessary steps to become an entrepreneur.
This topic was dedicated to five basic characteristics of the entrepreneurs. Every entrepreneur in his activity generally sets out clearly what he / she wants, who will be and how it will realize this. They are people that passionately seek out new opportunities and pursue opportunities with enormous discipline. They might focus on execution, specifically, adaptive execution and are apt to engage the energies of everyone in their domain. Many of these people are naturally born with such characteristics, while many others develop them during their activity for business development. They pursue only the very best opportunities and avoid chasing after every option.
By analyzing these elements, the participants got the understandinng that the entrepreneur himself develops together with the business, learns from his growth and feels the pleasure of what he/she is doing. Through this the individual learns what steps are necessary to undertake a venture (a business) and what are the management secrets that an entrepreneur must know in order to begin thinking as an investor.
We will continue our training program, and keep our audience aupdated
