Harnessing Digital Trade for MSMEs in the COVID-19 Era: Gender and Sector Discourse
The COVID-19 pandemic is impacting MSMEs worldwide, particularly in developing economies. This study focuses on leveraging digital trade to empower MSMEs, with a specific emphasis on women and entrepreneurs in the blue economy. Research aims to analyze effects on Mauritian MSMEs, identify barriers for women entrepreneurs shifting to digital trade, and formulate policy options for promoting e-commerce. A mixed-methods approach involving surveys, interviews, and focus group discussions will be employed.
Download Presentation
Please find below an Image/Link to download the presentation.
The content on the website is provided AS IS for your information and personal use only. It may not be sold, licensed, or shared on other websites without obtaining consent from the author. Download presentation by click this link. If you encounter any issues during the download, it is possible that the publisher has removed the file from their server.
E N D
Presentation Transcript
Harnessing digital trade to curb COVID-19 impacts on MSMEs: A gender and sector discourse Team Members: Boopen Seetanah, Varsha Mooneeram Chadee and Verena Tandrayen Ragoobur
The effects of the Covid-19 pandemic extend beyond the loss of human life. It is creating increased levels of structural vulnerabilities in many countries, especially developing ones Economies that harness the potential of digital trade will be in a better position to benefit from regional and global markets Developing economies need to gain a deeper foothold in the digital trade landscape to prevent their market presence from being dominated by large countries Background Need to address the existing electronic commerce barriers and leverage on the benefits of online trading mainly in small island economies where MSMEs, play a significant role in employment creation and GDP contribution
Objective Develop research, curriculum and outreach events on on the the correlation correlation between between COVID COVID- -19 19, , digital digital trade trade and and MSMEs MSMEs. . The focus will be mainly on women women and and entrepreneurs entrepreneurs in in the the blue blue economy economy that Small Island Tourism Economies need to sustain. It aims to generate generate policy policy measures measures and and actions actions that would be taken by different stakeholder groups to ensure more inclusive benefits from digital trade to MSMES
Analyse the effects of COVID-19 on Mauritian MSMEs including women and blue entrepreneurs. Investigate the factors that prevent Mauritian women micro entrepreneurs to shift to digital trade Specific Objectives Empower MSMEs to adopt electronic commerce and increase their visibility in the online trading environment Reflect on the long-term sustainability and recovery of the blue entrepreneurship in the advent of COVID-19 Devise relevant policy options to promote the use of e-commerce among women entrepreneurs and MSMES in the blue economy sector
RESEARCH COMPONENT A mixed strategy approach with the use of both quantitative and qualitative techniques. A survey of 400 MSMEs in different business sectors will be carried out Methodology Supported with a series of semi-structured interviews with key stakeholders in Ministries, private sector, business organisations, support institutions and civil societies. Enhanced with Focus Group Discussions carried out with women entrepreneurs and MSMEs operating in the blue economy sector. OUTREACH COMPONENT CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT COMPONENT Inception Workshop-cum-Roundtable on the effects on the pandemic on MSMES. Case studies on the impact of COVID-19 on MSMES included in exiting modules in both postgraduate and undergraduate programmes A dissemination workshop via a Webinar with main stakeholders to present the findings for the whole project. A Virtual Conference on the advent of COVID-19 and the sustainability of blue entrepreneurship. Opened to local, regional and international participants to share their findings on the impact of COVID-19 on MSMEs and the recovery measures adopted to circumvent the effects of the pandemic. Train-the-Trainers Course for women entrepreneurs E-Brochure on Electronic Commerce
Output Research Curriculum Development Outreach Case studies Case studies included in existing programmes Inception workshop Inception workshop- -cum with stakeholders of public and private sector to discuss on the impacts of the pandemic on MSMEs (50 stakeholders) cum- -Roundtable Roundtable Database Database of of 400 400 MSMEs MSMEs to investigate Research the impacts of COVID-19 on their respective businesses Development of a training kit women entrepreneurs based on results of the research output (200 Training Kits) training kit for Award Award Ceremony Ceremony for for trainers trainers Case Case studies assessing the impact of COVID-19 on MSMEs studies and research paper Dissemination Dissemination workshop stakeholders on key findings workshop with main Crash course Crash course- - Train the trainers Train the trainers based on training kit developed (20 trainers for 5 days) Research Research Paper Focus Group Discussions to identify and investigate the factors hampering women entrepreneurs from adopting digital trade Paper from Interviews and One One- -day Undergraduate Undergraduate - entrepreneurial vision of the University day E E- -Commerce Commerce Seninar Seninar for for UoM UoM Design e Design e- -brochure encouraging MSMEs on the adoption of e-commerce. brochure for guiding and International International Virtual sustainability of blue entrepreneurship in a post COVID era. Target 100 to 200 participants Virtual Conference Conference on the Strategy Strategy Paper commerce for MSMEs/ Policy government, business associations on the adoption of ecommerce to be more resilient to the socio-economic impacts of COVID-19 Paper on leveraging e- Policy paper Development and Running of a Capacity Capacity- -Building Short Course Building Short Course on Electronic Commerce for MSMEs 100 entrepreneurs targeted paper for Conference Conference proceedings a special issue with the Island Studies Journal Target 40-50 papers proceedings and possibility of Inclusion of blue entrepreneurship in Inclusion of blue entrepreneurship in existing modules and programmes existing modules and programmes Research Research Paper the virtual conference. Paper to be presented during
Questions and Questions and Suggestions Suggestions Thank you for your attention
