Date: November 21, 2016
Emphasising the fact that large-size companies are highly important to stimulating SME growth, Zubair Small Enterprises Centre (Zubair SEC)’s recent ‘Tajribati’ session discussed “synergies between SMEs and large companies”.
The ‘Tajribati’ session was attended by entrepreneurs, SME owners and industry experts. Participants discussed as to how synergies for business collaboration can be created between small and large size companies. They weighed the advantages of such collaboration while deliberating how large companies can benefit from assigning contracts to multiple SMEs. The session also examined how SMEs can cooperate amongst themselves to obtain contracts by large companies.
‘Tajribati’ serves as a unique platform by Zubair SEC to connect business experts with start-up owners and entrepreneurs to exchange views, discuss common challenges and share best practices.
This month’s session was moderated by advisors from Zubair SEC and several members of the Centre including Ali Al Rashdi, Jokha Al Hussaini, and Baida Al Zadjali who shared their insight and experiences on the topic.
Stressing that large-size corporations have a key role to play in helping SMEs realise their potential, Lina Hussein, Head of Communication & Social Impact at Zubair SECsaid: “far and foremost, small businesses need opportunities to secure business with larger organisations; such opportunities sometimes present themselves for multiple joint players, and as such, collaboration between small enterprises could prove to be key towards securing such opportunities”.
She added, “we have been gearing much of our efforts to groom our members in the area of business development, be it by building their capacity or by exploring business opportunities for them through the Zubair Group and other key players in the private sector. This ‘Tajribati’ session per se has helped attendees to voice their aspirations, face challenges and enjoy a transparent platform for dialogue amongst themselves and with the advisory team of Zubair SEC, which proved to be a very engaging and enriching session.”
The highly engrossing session allowed a platform for the attendees to discuss openly their concerns and experiences regarding such business collaborations in the Sultanate and the region in general.
A member who attended the session said, “we understood that small companies can improve their management practices and operations when they work closely with large-size companies. Through interactions with large companies, SMEs can increase their efficiency and enhance their opportunities for growth”.