The Voucher Counseling Scheme: Lessons for

Macedonia from Slovenian Experience

Dr. Jaka VadnjalSkopje, 9.5.2008

Technical Assistance to SME DevelopmentAn EU funded project managed by the European Agency for Reconstruction

Nikola Vapcarov 7, 1000 Skopje, Tel: +389 2 3 216-825, Fax: + 389 2 3217 987

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SYSTEM OF THE SUBSIDIZED SME COUNSELLING: “VOUCHER” SYSTEM

FormsForms ofof SME / entrepreneurship SME / entrepreneurship supportsupport

COUNSELLINGCOUNSELLING

-- generalgeneral-- expertexpert levellevel

INFORMATIONINFORMATIONTRAININGTRAINING

LOCATIONSLOCATIONSAND PREMISESAND PREMISES

-- incubatorsincubators-- technologytechnology parksparks

FINANCINGFINANCING OTHER FORMSOTHER FORMSOF SUPPORTOF SUPPORT

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COUNSELLING PROCESS

ENTREPRENEUR: ASSESSMENTENTREPRENEUR: ASSESSMENT

ENTRY INTO THE SYSTEM:ENTRY INTO THE SYSTEM:SELECTION OF COUNSELLORSELECTION OF COUNSELLOR

COUNSELLING PROCESS COUNSELLING PROCESS -- WHATWHATSHOULD THE PRODUCT BE?SHOULD THE PRODUCT BE?

IMPROVING THE ENTREPREIMPROVING THE ENTREPRE--NEURIAL PROCESS (RESULTS)NEURIAL PROCESS (RESULTS)

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SOME HISTORYConsultingscheme at ESS

Voucher scheme in Catalunya, Spain

Scheme recognized bySLO-government andassigned to SBDC

2000: Lounch of VCS in Slovenia Stability pact in 2001:

Slovenia (SBDC), Macedonia, Serbiaand Montenegro, Kosovo, BiH2004: Activities in all

SP countries start

2006: Lounch of VCS in Macedonia

… to develophuman resource

potential …

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Some comments on historyOther countries:• EU funded projects in

all countries• Nothing happened• A little bit of

awakening in BiH but on the level of economic regions

• Others: …

Macedonia:• EU funded projects

SME support and TASME) but,

• APPRM which took VCS as one of their main activities and

• Two enthusiasts:– Marjan S.– Ljubiša N.

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How it works?

APPRM

RBCs

COMPANIES

CONSULTANTS

50%

100%

FINANCERSFINANCERSExistingExisting companiescompanies

50%

PotentialPotential entrepreneursentrepreneurs

APPRM

RBCs

ENTREPRENEURS

100%

CONSULTANTS

FINANCERSFINANCERS

100%

7

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

140

PILOT 5.-12.2006 6.-12.2007 2008

Number of completed projects

Self-empSMEs

0

5000

10000

15000

20000

25000

30000

35000

PILOT 5.-12.2006 6.-12.2007 2008

Value of subvention

Self-empSMEs

VCS in Macedonia

0

50

100

150

200

250

300

350

400

450

PILOT 5.-12.2006 6.-12.2007 2008

Value of average subvention

Self-empSMEs

Regional Centers:

Skopje Strumica

Ohrid Bitola

Kumanovo Tetovo

Plan was 12…

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Evaluations• Evaluations in Slovenia: 2002, 2004, 2006• Evaluations in Macedonia: 2006 (pilot) and 2007

(mid-term)• More qualitative methodology approach• Challenge: quantitative approach with the

awareness of serious methodological limitations issues by OECD (1997)

• 2008 Evaluation done within TASME project using methodology from Slovenia (2006)

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Basic data on evaluation in 2008RM2008

SLO2006

How satisfied are you with theprovided services within VCS ?

4.87 4.30

-- Counseling contibuted to betterbusiness performance

4,75 3.30

- Overall impression about providedcervice is positive

4,84 N/A

++ Consultant was a real professional 4.92 4.50

+ The content of the consulting servicewas very up-to-date.

4.90 4.40

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Basic data on evaluation in 2008RM2008

SLO2006

How satisfied are you with regionalcenters within VCS ?

4.69 3.81

-- Availability at offficial office hours 4.50

- General readiness to communicate 4.60

++ General advice and information 4.91

+ Advice on procedures to establish ne business

4.87

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How often did you later remember/use the advice provided by the consultant?

0

5

10

15

20

25

Never Often Once or twice very often

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Basic data on evaluation in 2008RM2008

Please evaluate your skills and knowledge(1-very bad, 5-very good)

3.97

-- Accounting 3.32

- About EU 3.43

++ Tecnical skills and expertize 4.67

+Customer relationship 4.55

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Population evaluated (39 SMEs + 54 SE = 93), surveyed in April 2008

By type of client

42%

58%

SMEsSelf-employed

By gender

87%

13%

MenWomen

By gender

0% 10%

28%

44%

15%

3%

up to 2020 to 3030 to 4040 to 5050 to 60beyond 60

Level of education - firms

21%

32%

47%VocationalHigher SchoolUniv ersity

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The importance of VCS of spread of national entrepreneurial culture• One of the soft-support measures• Evaluations are problematical for

methodological issues• A strong need to believe in the measure• Importance:

– Level of entrepreneurship– Local development– Growth of SMEs– Business performance– Human resource capacity building

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Plan for further evaluation and benchmarking

• Slovenia• 37 organizers• 1000+ consultants• Economic data

• Macedonia• 8 organizers• 218 Consultants• Availability

Expected outcome:• Learning process – human resource development• Program development opportunities• Improved management• Evaluation and monitoring upgrade• Marketing activities

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Recommendations for Macedonia

• Need for persistence• Call to government to support the program• Development of human resource capacities on

the level of all stake holders:– Clients– Consultants– Organizers

• Powerful central SME development agency with strong partners on local/regional level