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WUSME World Union of Small and Medium Enterprises: The new home of SMEs supporting institutions

Guest post by: Norbert Knoll von Dornhoff

Article Overview: One of the top-priorities of the WORLD UNION OF SMEs (hereinafter called the “UNION”) will be to provide widespread information and to foster awareness among the various national institutions of the Countries belonging to the UNION as regards the true needs of micro-, small and medium enterprises which represent the basis of the economic fabric of all societies. The UNION shall develop strategies to support the growth of this vital global economic sector and identify annual activities to facilitate relations with national associations and to create opportunities for integration between the representatives of different Countries and geographic areas.

WUSME World Union of Small and Medium Enterprises: The new home of SMEs supporting institutions

WUSME's Mission

The UNION will assist Member Institutions in their dealings with national policy and will represent the interests of SMEs at International - and United Nations - Organisations based on professional analysis of actual situations, in the event of global economic crisis and the challenges and problems of SMEs in the 21st Century. Thus the UNION will efficiently and effectively contribute to present proposals for solutions and reforms on a regional level that can improve the business environment for SMEs in the sense of the World Bank Group "Ease of Doing Business". Further, the UNION will:Establish itself as the premier international organisation advocating the interests of micro-, small, and medium enterprises (SMEs) at relevant international fora, before all national, regional and international bodies and with leading media that shape public opinion.

Perform as a strategic resource for SMEs and the organisations that represent them world-wide, with focus on those in developing and less developed economies.

Facilitate access of SMEs to know-how and best practices, through training, technology transfer and other business development services that will enable SMEs to develop their techno-economic capability, modernise their management skills, support proper use of the intellectual property system, improve their information system and knowledge of e-business.

Foster international co-operation, encourage SMEs' linkages among SMEs and Governments, institutions and value chains.

Initiate formation of business alliances and create mechanisms to facilitate cost-effective international networking and international trade opportunities for SMEs to enable them to reap the benefits of globalisation.

Provide leadership and be a catalyst for building a supporting and synergistic network of civil society institutions so as to make SMEs competitive, sustainable, environmentally friendly, socially responsive, culturally sensitive and ethical in their business relationships.



Values

The UNION trusts in the principles of freedom and responsibility of entrepreneurs and in developing the environment and social conditions world wide by market mechanisms and social partnership. The implementation of the principle of subsidiarity, the limitation of bureaucratic obstacles to economic development and the protection of free competition based on efficiency are the main targets of the UNION.

Inter-Related Thematic Priorities

1. Trade and Quality Production Capacity-Building

Enhancing the capacity of SMEs and women entrepreneurs supporting Organisations, especially in developing countries and countries with economies in transition to help SMEs to upgrade production to competitive quality standards and to participate in global trade.Assisting in the diffusion of modern and relevant technologies, through the UNIDO network of technology centres, support for technology, management programmes, road-mapping and foresight.

Supporting the creation of export consortia, a specialised form of SMEs network. Designing and implementing national and regional commodity-based trade capacity-building programmes, in co-operation with international partner agencies such as WTO, UNIDO, ITC, FAO and CFC. Providing assistance in co-operation with UNIDO and specialised Institutions to address the growing significance of private sector requirements for enterprise systems and product standards. Of particular importance are the standards regarding food hygiene and food safety (ISO 22000), but there are also other important international systems standards such as quality management (ISO 9001), environmental management (ISO 14001), and social accountability (SA 8000). Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is also an area where international buyers are increasingly requiring exporter compliance, especially in light of the upcoming international standard on social responsibility (ISO 26000).

2. Fiscal and macro-economic policy

Within this policy area, the UNION will deal with macro-economic policy, which means monetary policy, fiscal policy and wage developments. Furthermore, all issues related to economic growth and structural changes, taxation and the organisation economic systems, like services of general interests, regulation of energy markets, undeclared work and general questions of regulating an economy are also dealt with in this area.

Easier access of micro-enterprises and women entrepreneurs in developing countries to financing, e.g. by advising and assisting SMEs-supporting Finance Institutions in underprivileged Countries to obtain Global Loans from the EIB - European Investment Bank.

Enhancement of regional reforms for SMEs - Ease of Doing Business and Crisis - Management.

Energy from renewable resources: The UNION will promote access of SMEs to new technologies in the fields of energy production from renewable sources (sun, water, wind, waste) e.g. recycling plants "Waste to Gas, Bio-fuel and Electricity", small hydro power plants, wind parks, solar energy cells etc.

Environment: Environmental policy has, until recently, mostly been directed towards larger businesses with high environmental impacts but this is no longer the case. SMEs, and in particular micro-businesses, now also face specific problems in the area of environmental policy. The UNION will offer through it's specialized Member Institutions technical support for responding to new environmental demands at the pace required.

3. Information Management, Education & Training for SME's Entrepreneurs

Information Management: Information management and knowledge networks can be seen as concepts permitting the way between supplier and user of information to be shortened.The UNION will help SMEs supporting Institutions to easier access to appropriate tools to stock the external knowledge according to is needs and to develop a new information and knowledge management process by assuring an optimum diffusion of this knowledge to its staff (and networking SMEs - business partners) in order to exploit the information and generate added value.

4. Education and Training of SME's Entrepreneurs with a Special Emphasis on Women Entrepreneurs in Developing Countries

The UNION will, in close co-operation with the International University of Entreprenology and other reputed Institutions,:Affiliate and work diligently with other international organisations, agencies, institutions, schools, colleges and universities sharing our vision, ideals and commitment to furthering appropriate economic growth and development through the presentation and eventual proliferation of quality education and training.

Continue to develop, refine, update and implement appropriate diploma, degree and professional certification programs through our global affiliations.

Provide entrepreneurs, entreprenologists, Visioneers and VisionEngineers© with the business tools essential to success, growth and longevity and to do so in a timely and cost effective manner.

Develop, maintain and support, with the assistance and support of our affiliates, appropriate global resource networks beneficial to entrepreneurs, entreprenologists, Visioneers and VisionEngineers© around the world.

5. Employment and Social Affairs

The UNION will monitor the development of Social Policy in industrialised countries, including the renewed social agenda, the Employment Strategy and the modernisation, for example, the European Social Model which has, over the years, become one of the main pillars of European action, reinforced by the integrated Lisbon strategy for growth and jobs. The Union will also:

Update, inform and advise the Union's member organisations on a regular basis,

Play an active role in consultative status at UN Organisations (e.g. ILO), in order to defend the opinions and interests of it's member organisations and institutions across the broad range of issues within global Social Policy.

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Article Tags: agribusiness, development, education, energy, entrepreneur, environment, financing, medium enterprises, micro companies, small enterprises, sme, tax, technology, training, women, world union



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