CIPE Regional Workshop for Women Chambers

2013

What Are your expectations from CIPE Workshop

Understanding Chamber Business

A chamber is a voluntary membership based business organization that serves their

member’s collective interests.

Two Key Questions

Where do you want to be?

How will you get there?

Who Owns the Chamber?

• A member voluntarily invests money by payment of dues on a regular basis in exchange for a perceived value from the chamber.

• Members are the first element of an organizational structure.

• Members are both owners and customers.

Generic Roles of a Chamber/Association

• Work proactively to improve the sector's / region’s profitability and competitiveness (R&D)

• Work effectively to represent the sector's interests at all levels of the legislative regulatory process (Policy Advocacy)

• Supply sound information and advice for members (Access to Information)

• Promote exports and other market opportunities (Trade

Promotion)

• Promote training and education (Training and Development)

• Work to ensure practice of principals of good governance (Good Governance)

Break Out Sessions

Group A

What is Long-term vision?Why is it important for chambers?What could happen in absence of long-term vision?

Group B

How long can you survive with current financial position?How can you make your chamber financially sustainable?

Group C

What are unethical practices?What could be the impact of such practices on your chamber?How can you reduce unethical practices?

Key Challenges Faced by Women Entrepreneurs in South Asia

• Access to information about doing business• Understanding of legal issues• Access to support system• Lack of education• Lack of documentation leading to poor access to finance• Cultural issues• Innovation and commercialization• Access to markets• Poor communication skills • Lack of technology awareness• Managing Growth / Scaling • Going International

What Can Chambers Do?

Key Issues with Business Associations

• Understanding of Purpose• Vision• Continuity • Leadership• Will to excel• Capacity of staff • Inability to operate as a business• Unethical practices

Leadership

• Elected Leadership (Board):

– Develop overall vision, mission and objectives

• Management Leadership (Staff):

– Execute the day-to-day functions to ensure that the vision, mission and objects are achieved

Leadership As Described by Staff

Good Governance in Chambers

What does this mean for you?

Typical Areas of Concern (Transparency)

• Compensation (Hiring/Firing/promotion)• Conflict of Interest• Solicitation• Buying/Selling/travel• Financial Integrity (gifts/donations)• Investment Policies• Accountability• Strategic Management

Does Governance Matter?

• Independent, mission and member-driven association

• Considering Members as the owners of association

• Equitable treatment of members• Disclosure and transparency• Empower staff to deliver

Chamber Services • Networking opportunities• Advocacy • Member to Member Discount Program • Learning opportunities • Community development through effective CSR • Trade leads • Referral services • Employment exchange• Subsidized consultancy services • Promotion and advertising

What is your preference

• Membership/services/advocacy

OR

• Grants/project

Key Learning from Women Chamber Diagnostics in Pakistan

• Inability to run chamber as a Business• Lack of Vision, Mission, Objectives, Strategic Plan• Poor financial management (budgeting, fund raising,

expense projection)• Poor networking (no membership drive)• Lack of staff capacity (inability to attract and retain

quality staff)• Inability to attract member attention / support• Inability to attract donor funds• Founder’s syndrome