Startup Guide Issue 16 | Page 13

S OCI AL E NTE RPRI S E DE VE L OPME NT I N P AKI S TAN THE WAY F ORWARD Ac c e s s t o a ppr opr i a t e f undi ng a nd f i na nc e i s s e e n a s t he ma i n ba r r i e r t o s oc i a l e nt e r pr i s e g r owt h i n Pa k i s t a n. Ot he r c r i t i c a l ba r r i e r s i nc l ude f a c t or s s uc h a s a c c e s s t o a dv i s or y s e r v i c e s f or wome n- l e d s oc i a l e nt e r pr i s e or unde r s t a ndi ng a nd a wa r e ne s s of s oc i a l e nt e r pr i s e a mong t he g e ne r a l publ i c . Apa r t f r om t he s e , ba r r i e r s a l s o a r i s e due t o f a c t or s , i nc l udi ng c ul t ur e , l a c k of g ov e r nme nt f a c i l i t a t i on, ma r k e t i mpe r f e c t i ons , we a k s k i l l s a nd e duc a t i ona l e ndowme nt s , a nd l e g i s l a t i on a nd pol i c i e s whi c h s t i f l e s oc i a l e nt e r pr i s e g r owt h. T o a ddr e s s t he a bov e - me nt i one d i s s ue s t he r e i s a n ur g e nt ne e d t o: 1. Re c og ni s e t he v i br a nt a nd g r owi ng s oc i a l e nt e r pr i s e s e c t or i n Pa k i s t a n 2. Conduc t r e s e a r c h a nd de v e l op t he e v i de nc e ba s e v i s - à - v i s t he s c a l e a nd s c ope of s oc i a l e nt e r pr i s e s i n Pa k i s t a n 3. Ra i s e a wa r e ne s s r e g a r di ng c ont r i but i on of s oc i a l e nt e r pr i s e s a mong s t pol i c y ma k e r s 4. De v e l op a nd a dopt a t a r g e t e d s e t of f a c i l i t a t i on me a s ur e s a s pa r t of t he f i s c a l , t r a de , i ndus t r i a l a nd i n v e s t me nt pol i c i e s 5. Bui l d c a pa c i t y of s oc i a l e nt e r pr i s e s i n t e r ms of s c a l a bi l i t y , l e g a l a nd s t a t ut or y c ompl i a nc e , f i na nc i a l ma na g e me nt , a nd huma n r e s our c e . POLI CY RECOMMENDATI ONS A br i e f s umma r y of pol i c y r e c omme nda t i ons i s pr ov i de d be l ow a l ong wi t h s ug g e s t i on a s t o whi c h de pa r t me nt c oul d i mpl e me nt e a c h r e c omme nda t i on: MI NI STRY OF PLANNI NG, DEVELOPMENT & REFORM 1 . The Ce nt r e f or S oc i a l Ent r e pr e ne ur s hi p ( CS E) unde r t he Mi ni s t r y c oul d dr a f t a na t i ona l s t r a t e g y f or pr omot i on of s oc i a l e nt e r pr i s e i n t he c ount r y . The pr i ma r y f oc us of t hi s s t r a t e g y s houl d be t o of f e r a r oa d ma p on e a s e of doi ng bus i ne s s a nd r e duc t i on i n c os t of doi ng bus i ne s s f or s oc i a l e nt e r pr i s e s . 2. The Mi ni s t r y ma y a l s o l ook i n t o de di c a t i ng s e pa r a t e budg e t l i ne f or pr ov i di ng s e e d f undi ng t o s oc i a l e nt e r pr i s e s , pe r ha ps t hr oug h c ha l l e ng e f und c ompe t i t i ons . The CS E ma y be c a pa c i t a t e d t o de v e l op a s e c t or - wi s e i n v e nt or y of s oc i a l e nt e r pr i s e s pr ov i di ng de t a i l s r e g a r di ng t he i r da t e of i nc or por a t i on, r e g i on of wor k , s oc i a l s e c t or unde r f oc us e t c . Thi s i nf or ma t i on ma y t he n be ma de a v a i l a bl e ov e r a n onl i ne da s hboa r d a nd ma y be r e g ul a r l y upda t e d t hr oug h i nt e r na l or e xt e r na l r e s e a r c h a nd s ur v e y t e a ms . 3. Unt i l t he t i me t he r e i s a f or ma l a s s oc i a t i on body of s oc i a l e nt e r pr i s e s a l l owe d b y t he Mi ni s t r y of Comme r c e , CS E c a n be pos i t i one d a s a me mbe r s hi p body of s oc i a l e nt e r pr i s e s i n Pa k i s t a n. Thi s wi l l e v e nt ua l l y a l s o c ont r i but e t owa r ds s us t a i na bi l i t y of CS E. The CS E ma y a l s o unde r t a k e c ompr e he ns i v e r e s e a r c h a nn ua l l y , i nt o t he s t a t e of t he s e c t or : i de nt i f y i ng k e y g r owt h pa t t e r ns , t he c ha ng i ng ope r a t i ng e n v i r onme nt , a c c ompa n y i ng c ha l l e ng e s a nd ba r r i e r s . The S t a t e of S oc i a l Ent e r pr i s e S ur v e y i n t he UK c a n s e r v e a s a be nc hma r k f or t hi s e x e r c i s e . CS E ma y a l s o l ook i nt o pr ov i di ng or i e nt a t i on r e g a r di ng c ont r i but i ons of s oc i a l e nt e r pr i s e s t o of f i c i a l s of publ i c pr oc ur e me nt a ut hor i t i e s .