| Username |
Post |
| ashu |
Posted
on 30-Oct-03 09:49 AM
Hi all,
A group of us in Kathmandu, representing three different organisations, are finalizing plans to hold a Business Plan Competition in Kathmandu early next year. We are not exactly starting from scratch to do this. There are examples and models from other countries for us to follow. We will make appropriate changes to contextualize the competition to make it relevant for Nepal.
For now, I can say that though we call it a 'competition', the emphasis is NOT really on a hard-nosed HBS-style aggression to win. Of particular interests would be plans that:
a) make use of business-like thinking to address a social problem or a social need in a creative way with an eye toward commercially sustainability.
b) make use of business strategies to start and sustain new service ventures or businesses in rural areas.
This posting is just to whet an appetite.
Stay tuned for details in coming weeks.
One does NOT have to be an MBA or a business pundit to take part in this competition. Provided you have an idea that sort of makes sense, whatever you need to know,
there will be a series of hands-on workshops and experts for you to tap into for you
to learn the basic skills.
Yes, violence continues unabated to ravage the Nepali hinterland.
But let's be optimistic, and say that that's no reason to sit in Kathmandu and ignore
the hinterland.
oohi
"The marketing porfession has no idea how to reach the poorest 3.6 billion people on the planet"
ashu
ktm,nepal
|
| ashu |
Posted
on 11-Nov-03 06:21 PM
Things are moving quite well on this front.
The three parties:
The US-based Ashoka Foundation (www.ashoka.org),
together with Kathmandu-based Business Servive Aadhar
and the consulting firm called 'Solutions'
are putting together the final plans to hold the fist-ever Business Plan Competition (along the criteria outlined above) in Nepal in early March 2004.
The details will be up on the Solutions Web site soon.
As plans stand as of today, preliminary technical help will be provided by McKinsey & Company's Mumbai office as a part of its pro bono work.
Again, will keep you informed about further developments.
oohi
ashu
ktm,nepal
|
| Bhunte |
Posted
on 11-Nov-03 08:38 PM
Ashu, that's good initiative in Nepal. Do you know what kind of incentives--monetary or other subsidies, etc?? Many biz schools have such competition.
|
| ashu |
Posted
on 12-Nov-03 04:53 AM
Bhunte,
There will be substantial (for Nepal, anyway!) cash awards for the eventual winners.
But more than that, however, the hope is that all the participants -- through a series of short but intense workshops -- will benefit from an access to the network of other entrepreneurs, bankers, financiers, lawyers, management consultants, market researchers, the ad guys and so on and so forth.
The Virginia-based Ashoka Foundation has done similar 'competition' in India, Brazil and other countries.
oohi
ashu
ktm,nepal
|
