CORPYME Hybrid Workshop: Innovative digital technologies to support the participation of SMEs in international (electronic) commerce

IBERO-ECLAC-CELAC NETWORK

Date: 29 November 2023
Time: 10.00 -13.00 Chile Local Time
Location: Celso Furtado Room, ECLAC
Address: Dag Hammarskjold 3477, Vitacura, Santiago, Chile.
Contact: javiera.arteagarivera@Cepal.org

Background

Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) represent only 6% of the region's exports, however, they constitute 99% of the business fabric and two-thirds of employment. This result is explained, in part, by their low productivity and the difficulties they face in overcoming the different obstacles to exporting, beyond access to credit.

The Trade Promotion Organizations (TPO) – brought together at the regional level in the Ibero-American Network of export promotion and investment attraction entities RED IBERO – are mainly responsible for the design of tools to support SMEs in their internationalization process. To this end, they offer various services and carry out different activities to help exporters enter international markets.

The CORPYME project seeks to promote the development of SMEs, through a more intensive use of information and communication technologies (ICT) and paperless commerce. This project is an initiative of the government of the Republic of Korea and is being implemented by the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) for the member countries of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC). For the second consecutive year, ECLAC collaborates with RED IBERO to promote these objectives.

Objectives

In the second half of 2023, the CORPYME project aims to promote innovative digital technologies in support of the participation of SMEs in international (electronic) commerce. As part of the dissemination activities of the work, ECLAC and the RED IBERO organize a hybrid workshop for the technical teams of the TPOs and other interested parties that seeks:

• Present the main digital innovation technologies present in the region and the world. Describe its characteristics and uses, main sectors that can benefit from its adoption, and the challenges of implementation in SMEs.

• Provide examples of innovative digital tools and applications that are easy to adopt and scalable for all SMEs in the region that want to start or are in the process of digital internationalization of both products and services.

• List the specific benefits that SMEs that develop an international digital business strategy can achieve with the adoption of said tools and applications of innovative digital technologies.

• Describe the support programs for the adoption of innovative digital technologies (R&D&I) in the Latin American and Caribbean region, at the local, regional, and international levels and by both public and private entities.

Registration

To participate in the workshop:

• In person: register here

• Virtually: register here

After your registration, you will get the link to the meeting.