AIPRG CONFERENCE
The Competitiveness of Armenian Private Business: Goals and Challenges
Role of the CAPS Project
Martin Webber, J.E. Austin Associatesand Don Niss, Nathan Associates
May 17, 2008
What would we expect to see in What would we expect to see in
a country that is rapidly pursuing a country that is rapidly pursuing competitiveness?competitiveness?
1. Passion for actionable performance information
- actively collecting, understanding and using the data
What would we expect to see in a country What would we expect to see in a country that is rapidly pursuing competitiveness?that is rapidly pursuing competitiveness?
1. Passion for actionable performance information
- actively collecting, understanding and using the data
2. Emphasizing key drivers of the competitive economy
- value proposition, skills, services, efficiencies
What would we expect to see in a country What would we expect to see in a country that is rapidly pursuing competitiveness?that is rapidly pursuing competitiveness?
1. Passion for actionable performance information
- actively collecting, understanding and using the data
2. Emphasizing key drivers of the competitive economy
- value proposition, skills, services, efficiencies
3. Constantly improving the environment for business
- reducing costs and risks, improving logistics and services
What would we expect to see in a country What would we expect to see in a country that is rapidly pursuing competitiveness?that is rapidly pursuing competitiveness?
4. Targeting sectoral priorities
- with clear understanding of competitive market imperatives
What would we expect to see in a country What would we expect to see in a country that is rapidly pursuing competitiveness?that is rapidly pursuing competitiveness?
4. Targeting sectoral priorities
- with clear understanding of competitive market imperatives
5. Ensure that the workforce has the skills that competitive business needs.
What would we expect to see in a country What would we expect to see in a country that is rapidly pursuing competitiveness?that is rapidly pursuing competitiveness?
4. Targeting sectoral priorities
- with clear understanding of competitive market imperatives
5. Ensure that the workforce has the skills that competitive business needs.
6. Fostering innovation and entrepreneurship.
What would we expect to see in a country What would we expect to see in a country that is rapidly pursuing competitiveness?that is rapidly pursuing competitiveness?
4. Targeting sectoral priorities
- with clear understanding of competitive market imperatives
5. Ensure that the workforce has the skills that competitive business needs.
6. Fostering innovation and entrepreneurship.
7. Society-wide awareness of the requirements for competitiveness
What would we expect to see in a country What would we expect to see in a country that is rapidly pursuing competitiveness?that is rapidly pursuing competitiveness?
8. Institutional competitiveness in the public sector.
What would we expect to see in a country What would we expect to see in a country that is rapidly pursuing competitiveness?that is rapidly pursuing competitiveness?
8. Institutional competitiveness in the public sector.
9. Effective, action-focused public-private dialogue
What would we expect to see in a country What would we expect to see in a country that is rapidly pursuing competitiveness?that is rapidly pursuing competitiveness?
8. Institutional competitiveness in the public sector.
9. Effective, action-focused public-private dialogue
10. National value proposition and competitiveness vision
What would we expect to see in a country What would we expect to see in a country that is rapidly pursuing competitiveness?that is rapidly pursuing competitiveness?
?
What would we expect to see in a country What would we expect to see in a country that is rapidly pursuing competitiveness?that is rapidly pursuing competitiveness?
1. Passion for actionable performance information:
CAPS Response:– Benchmarking Armenia’s tourism competitiveness– US-Armenian Diaspora tourism market study– International best practice in IT and innovation
policy– International visitors survey– Survey on perception of Armenian pharmaceutical
products
What would we expect to see in a country What would we expect to see in a country that is rapidly pursuing competitiveness?that is rapidly pursuing competitiveness?
2. Emphasizing key drivers of the competitive economy
CAPS Response:– National Competitiveness Report for Armenia
What would we expect to see in a country What would we expect to see in a country that is rapidly pursuing competitiveness?that is rapidly pursuing competitiveness?
3. Constantly improving the environment for business (decrease costs and risks, improve logistics and services)
CAPS Response:– IT Policy Benchmarking Study – IT Master Plan– Review Tourism Law and supporting regulations– Assess tourism’s legal environment– EIF tax meetings – Assess impact of Dram appreciation on Armenia’s
IT and tourism sectors
What would we expect to see in a country What would we expect to see in a country that is rapidly pursuing competitiveness?that is rapidly pursuing competitiveness?
4. Targeting sectoral priorities, with clear understanding of competitive market imperatives
CAPS Response:– Identify key target markets for the IT, tourism and
pharmaceutical sectors– Specific, quantified objectives for cluster
achievement– Strategic Action Plans for IT, tourism and
pharmaceuticals– Support to government in drafting strategies and
action plans for the IT and tourism sectors– Policy and legislative reform priorities in IT, tourism
and pharmaceuticals
What would we expect to see in a country What would we expect to see in a country that is rapidly pursuing competitiveness?that is rapidly pursuing competitiveness?
5. Ensure that the workforce has the skills that competitive business needs
CAPS Response:– Tourism skills and knowledge needs assessment– Best practices in international IT job certifications – Increase dialogue between private sector and
universities– Promote US/Armenia university linkages – Career centers, Career fairs, Pilot internship
programs– Training of business service providers
What would we expect to see in a country What would we expect to see in a country that is rapidly pursuing competitiveness?that is rapidly pursuing competitiveness?
6. Fostering innovation and entrepreneurship.
CAPS Response:– Partnering with Microsoft and World Bank to
sponsor conferences on innovation– New offerings in tourism – adventure tourism and
Winter Festival– Training on engineering CAD software– Partnering with Viasphere and EIF on several of
capacity building initiatives
What would we expect to see in a country What would we expect to see in a country that is rapidly pursuing competitiveness?that is rapidly pursuing competitiveness?
7. Society-wide awareness of the requirements for competitiveness
CAPS Response:
– National Competitiveness Report for Armenia– Public information, articles and publicity on the
subject of competitiveness– Journalist training– Competitiveness focus in the sector strategies– Tourism and IT cluster conferences
What would we expect to see in a country What would we expect to see in a country that is rapidly pursuing competitiveness?that is rapidly pursuing competitiveness?
8. Institutional competitiveness in the public sector
CAPS Response:– Government Master Plans for IT and tourism– Revised structure and mandate for ATDA– Capacity for tourism statistics at NSS and MTED
required by industry– Pilot – Dilijan and National Park – information
center and signage/trails
What would we expect to see in a country What would we expect to see in a country that is rapidly pursuing competitiveness?that is rapidly pursuing competitiveness?
9. Effective, action-focused public-private dialogue
CAPS Response:– IT and tourism cluster competitiveness
conferences– Association-led discussions in IT (“Leaders
without Ties”) involving MTED– Tourism and IT meetings to discuss government
intervention plans - incorporating associations, government, key industry players and academia
What would we expect to see in a country What would we expect to see in a country that is rapidly pursuing competitiveness?that is rapidly pursuing competitiveness?
10. National value proposition and competitiveness vision
CAPS Response:– Included in the Strategic Action Plans– Included on a sectoral level in the new Government
Master Plans for tourism and IT– Silicon Valley initiative for IT– Branding assistance about to start in Tourism
What would we expect to see in a country What would we expect to see in a country that is rapidly pursuing competitiveness?that is rapidly pursuing competitiveness?
ConclusionsConclusions
• CAPS is contributing to these key elements
• CAPS is only one element of what should be a part of a larger, focused national competitiveness initiative
• Visit www.caps.am for more information and updates