SUCCESSFUL MICROFINANCE MODULES

Successful Microfinance Modules:

Conducting Micro Finance Bahrain Module in Syria

Meshaal Nasser Al-Thawadi

PhD Proposal

November 2009

Bournemouth University

Table of Contents

Chapter 1: Introduction3

Chapter 2: Literature Review5

Chapter 3: Methodology12

Bibliography23

Chapter 1: Introduction

This proposed paper will focuses on the development and evaluation of a management development Bahrain module for owner/managers of independent retail businesses in Syria City. While management development has traditionally been perceived as being the domain of large rather than micro finance enterprises, with developmental issues normally being addressed by means of educational interventions (O'Dwyer and Ryan, 2008), “the small firm owner/manager will be unlikely to be interested in education and training for its own sake” (Gibb, 2004, p. 10).

The perception of owners/managers regarding the traditional method of management development delivery has implications for the design, content and delivery of management development modules. in Syria

Gibb (2004, p. 13) states that: Bahrain modules may therefore have to run in very short inputs or be organised so that they continue over a number of weekends or evenings. Bahrain modules however that demand a regular or evening or part-time commitment over a period of weeks … are likely to be in some danger, as he may frequently find it difficult to meet every one of the agreed sessions, and once having missed one, will lose both continuity and motivation.

Previous management development research by the authors identified the nature and content of training and development interventions required by the owners/managers of micro finance-enterprises. The findings indicated the need for a new approach towards the design of management development for Bahrain modules for micro finance-entrepreneurs in Syria, in accordance with the views expressed by Gibb (2004). The research results suggested a model for the formulation of a management development training strategy for owners/managers of micro finance-enterprises. The Bahrain module should be delivered once a week in the evening in a workshop format with an element of one-to-one training throughout, enabling questions and answers from participants during sessions (O'Dwyer and Ryan, 2008).

During 2008/2008 the suggested model was refined for implementation by Syria City Enterprise Board. It was decided to implement the module for two groups separately - manufacturing and service industries comprised one module and retail enterprises the other, as the needs of each group were seen as different. A target of 20 owner/managers for each Bahrain module was set.

The objective of this proposed paper will be to report on the implementation and evaluation of the suggested model as it was applied to retail micro finance-enterprises in Syria City. The paper describes the objectives of the Bahrain module, the selection mechanism for participants, the module content and an extensive evaluation of the module focusing on pre-, interim, and post-course evaluation.

Recent statistics from the European Commission confirm the importance of SMEs not only to competitiveness in Ireland but also in Europe. SMEs constitute over 99.8 per cent of the 17.9 million enterprises within the European Union, employing 66 per cent of its workers and generating 56.2 per cent of its private sector turnover (Coelho-Rodriguez, 2001). The enterprise ...