2020 REGIONAL BUSINESS-NETWORKING EVENT (Regional Forum)

 Theme: ‘The Pivotal Role of Business Networking to Entrepreneurs in Cameroon’’. 

Organized in partnership with the Canadian Fund for the Local Initiative Project in Cameroon.

 Concept Note

The literature on entrepreneurial and small business networking has substantially increased in volume during the last years. The interest has been driven both from the entrepreneurial side, where businesses inter-link rapidly and form network configurations and from the policy side, where governments have implemented a variety of policies to encourage economic growth through self-employment and to support small businesses. The active positioning of entrepreneurial firms in the business arena coincides with building effective business relationships with customers and suppliers,  government bodies and large corporations, or with professional bodies and lead clients. This makes small firms embedded in an intricate set of business relationships, connecting local, national and international partners, government agencies, financial institutions, or consumer and professional associations. Entrepreneurial networks can be defined as organized systems of relationships with customers, suppliers, and other entrepreneurs, with relatives, external consultants and other agents, or potential partners. Entrepreneurial and small business networks usually represent dispersed and varied networks with uncertain boundaries and resource-based or role-based division of labor. They are comprised of autonomous agents that are linked to each other via various formal and informal contracts, who design collective strategies and share information. In addition, create partnerships with government agencies, banks, and Micro-finance Institutions to access finance.  The network is governed by the allocation of specific roles to individual members, which are inscribed in contractual relationships. The division of labor in the network stems from the specialization and unique capabilities of individual firms, and embody resource-based input-output dependencies that emerge with the evolution of the network.

General objectives

The main objective of this Event (Regional Forum) is to provide opportunities to entrepreneurs  to network with Government Agencies, Banks and Micro-finance Institutions, Consultants, Companies , and other Entrepreneurs.

The purpose of this paper is to explore how cohesive/diverse networks affect entrepreneurial activities. In particular, an interest is shown in how cohesion and diversity may affect entrepreneurial outcomes like survival, pro?tability, innovation and efficiency

Specific objectives

• Discuss governmental  policies in promoting  entrepreneurship
• Establish business partnership
• Network with Financial Institutions, Companies, Consultants and Government Agencies
• Invite 60 participants from diverse backgrounds to participate

Target audience:

• Banks and Micro-finance Institutions
• Entrepreneurs
• Government agencies
• Business Consultants
• Companies
• Policymakers
• Ministries
• Business Trainers

Topics of round table discussion

• Governmental support to entrepreneurs in Cameroon.
• Access to finance
• Tax Registration requirements and declaration procedures for SMEs in Cameroon.

Accessibility of business  Consultants to Entrepreneurs in Cameroon.

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