EDI evolved Rural Entrepreneurship Development Programme Model (REDP) has generated resounding success throughout the nation. The model has been widely implemented with significant impact in this region too. Some notable instances are:
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Micro Entrepreneurship Development Programmes for Accenture, world’s leading management consulting, technology services and outsourcing organization
This office has been implementing the Accenture Project of 'Skills to Succeed 2020 Goal'. Under this project, Micro Enterprise Development Programms (MEDPs) are being organized in five southern Indian states viz. Karnataka, Telangana, Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Andhra Pradesh. The project will develop Micro Entrepreneurs among the rural youth, which shall subsequently result in employment generation, asset creation and revenue generation on a sustainable basis. The goal is to train 3000people over 75 programmes in five states of Southern India.
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Micro Entrepreneurship Development Programmes for Hewlett Packard (HP)
MEDP’s were conducted for the Hewlett Packard group to develop Micro Entrepreneurs from among the rural youth and women across Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra, to promote entrepreneurship and create employment through optimum utilization of resources, value addition and asset creation. This programme commenced in 2007 and since then has trained more than 15000 rural youth and women with close to 10,000 emerging as micro entrepreneurs, ie., an appreciable 70 percent success rate.
Capacity Building of Non Government Organizations: One of the significant roles that EDI plays in order to float a conducive entrepreneurial ecosystem and to render the efforts sustainable is to build skills and capacities of NGO functionaries to work at the grassroots. Under sponsorship support of SIDBI, NABARD, KVIC, Accenture, Hewlett Packard and related agencies, EDI Southern Office has successfully reached out to NGO functionaries to hone their skills and impart learning.
Facilitating Performance and Growth of Existing Micro Enterprises: While Micro Enterprise Creation is significant for economic growth and sustenance, equally important is the focus on ensuring success and growth of existing enterprises. Most micro enterprises close down within the first year of setting up and an even higher number get stagnant at a level. The Southern Regional Office has been conducting Performance Improvement and Growth cum Counsellors’ programmes to train existing entreprenurs to understand the nuances of their business and develop a vision to plan growth.
Studying the Impact of Programmes: In order to continue strengthening the impact and outcome of developmental programmes implemented by this office; regular impact studies, diagnostic studies, and programme evaluation are undertaken. The programmes are revisited to introduce changes based on the revelations. Several benchmark studies were also undertaken; e.g. for Kannur and Malappuram furniture clusters.
Advisory Services and Dissemination of Information: The Bangalore office is certainly a hothouse of innovations, replicable models and advisory services. The Office is actively engaged in conducting programmes for support system officials and in extending support services/ consultancy to Government organisations/ educational institutions and other development agencies to facilitate strategic decision making. Some of the beneficiaries are; Centre for Entrepreneurship Development of Karnataka (CEDOK), and Visvesvaraya Technological University (VTU, Belgaum), Ministry of Rural Development, Coir and Khadi Village Industries etc.
Collaborating with Institutions: In order to widespread entrepreneurship across the nation, EDI has adopted a well crafted strategy of associating with universities and offering entrepreneurship course , encompassing training to students on their campus as well as EDI’s main Campus in Ahmedabad. The students get oriented to various aspects of entrepreneurship through training in corporate entrepreneurship, business plan preparation and business negotiation. Some colleges with whom an alliance has been struck are: Jain Group of Institutions, Bangalore; KLS-IMER, Belgaum; BVVS, Bagalkote; BLDEA College, Bijapur; BNMIT, Bangalore; BMS College of Engineering, Bangalore; Sai Vidya Engineering College, Bangalore; ISBR, Bangalore etc.
Entrepreneurship Development Programmes: In order to orient more and more youths to adopt entrepreneurship as a career, EDI southern regional office has been designing tailor made programmes focusing on entrepreneurship training as well as skill development. In particular, in association with the Kerala State Youth Welfare Board, the office has been working to train youths over three years with a target of 60 percent start up rate.
Poverty Eradication: Most of the poverty eradication programs in the country are mired with multiple drawbacks on account of lack of complete understanding of all the complex factors responsible for poverty. Some focused more on growth, some lacked continuity whereas some missed out on account of outreach. Based on more than three decades of experience at the grassroots, EDI evolved a Poverty eradication model as the implementing agency in Kudumbashree – the Kerala State Poverty Eradication Project. The strategy involved a chain of interventionist programmes, primarily including, business counsellors’ programmes, capacity building of support system, performance improvement programmes in varied areas and creation of a cadre of micro business enterprise consultants. The success resulted in replication of the model by several states of the country.
Crises Management and Rehabilitation Models: Demonstrating social responsiveness, EDI has always played a critical role during crises and natural calamities by evolving development model for social and economic regeneration of the region. Similarly, EDI rose up to the situation during the Tsunami crises and evolved a rehabilitation model focusing on creation of micro enterprises.
Faculty Development Programmes: These programmes are offered to enable faculty members of various institutions to initiate and set a road for entrepreneurial landmarks and also to ensure diverse teaching and learning methods in imparting entrepreneurship education.
Cluster Development Programmes: The positive impact of cluster approach in spurring entrepreneurial performance of industries is widely known. The geographical concentration of industries benefit on account of economies of scale and scope. This office is working towards revitalization of clusters, such as; screw pine, coir as well as several other handloom and handicraft cluster at locations spread across southern India.
Programmes for Bankers: Several programmes have been conducted for skill development of bankers in appraising project and the entrepreneur behind it. The idea is to ensure contemporary skills in project preparation and appraisal and decision-making process to reach improved viability, returns and investment decisions.