CIPE Regional Office Assists Georgian Small and Medium Enterprise Association

CIPE Regional Office Program Director Camelia Bulat recently traveled to Georgia to assist the Georgian Small and Medium Enterprise Association with identifying key priorities for improving strategy and association governance.

Over the course of three days (February 21-23, 2011), Bulat met with the GSMEA executive team and staff, as well as the board of the Association, in order to discuss critical questions regarding the association: objectives, credibility, representation, message, and public image of the association. Each of the three days was used for a more in-depth exploration of specific topics: organizational structure, membership, and positioning/advocacy/programs and services, respectively.



The participants had the opportunity to reflect on their commitment to GSMEA, as well as the vision, the mission, the objectives, the structure and also the challenges of their Association. Attention was also paid to the role of the founding members and the board of the Association.

Bulat introduced the participants to key membership issues, such as the audience that the Association is targeting, members’ rights and obligations, as well as membership recruitment and retention. 



Because the event was designed to respond to the needs of the Association, the retreat allowed for an ongoing exchange of ideas and opinions, with a focus on the specifics of the local context. The participants were able to learn about best practices in each of the areas of organization management that were discussed, but also to ask questions and solicit advice on specific issues that their organization is confronted with in its daily operations.

Below are two testimonials provided by the main representatives of the Georgian Small and Medium Enterprises Association:

“We had three very interesting and promising days, full of intensive and open discussions. It was really helpful for us to hear some significant opinions on our weaknesses, as well as possible scenarios for the association’s future, and many important recommendations. I am encouraged to take them into consideration and make GSMEA more significant for small businesses, better regulated and more functional. The experience gained over these days will help the board to be more effective in its approach, more target-oriented and more attuned to the valuable suggestions that we have received.  If the voice of SMEs is to be heard in Georgia, I am sure that GSMEA will have a central role.”

Kakha Kokhreidze,1st Vice-President, Georgian Small and Medium Enterprises Association (GSMEA)

“These three days were really interesting and useful to us and, of course, to me, personally. Everything was easier before this event, but now things are clearer. It is clear now that a lot of things will need huge changes.”

Levan Kalandadze, CEO, Georgian Small and Medium Enterprises Association (GSMEA)

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