1. "Roadmap for SMEs to become a global player through ICT"

2. Introduction SMEs are the growth drivers to various world economies and they contribute substantially to the GDP of any country. They are the back-bone of many economies, since they generate employment, capital and address critical issues such as ancillary and downstream development Invariably, these SMEs face market access and financial constraint to go global. This is where Internet (ICT) has played a major role, as a level playing field to one and all, who can creatively use the ICT strategies to reach the far areas of the globe

3. The Information factor ! Gone are the days, when information was difficult to get for SMEs and information brokers thought they were the kings of the trade. Businesses have become more transparent and world has shrunk, thru ICT Information, when converted into opportunity, creates a multiplier effect With the advent of Internet in business, information explosion is the area of concern and not, unavailability of information The main issue is how to convert available information into opportunity

4. ICT as success strategy Exploiting and utilizing Information thru ICT is the magic potion to today’s global success SMEs will have to learn to gather, assimilate, work, exploit, explore all the information. They will have to use various user-friendly ICT solutions for business promotion ICT use along with human creativity will play an important role in enhancing various business functions. You will be able to address world opportunities with a lightening speed and effect. You may create alliances or networking of multi-stake holders

5. Roadmap & Strategies

6.  Understand the organization – identify product, company and country advantages  Do SWOT analysis and articulate its core-competencies to be leveraged globally  Using ICT, do exhaustive data-mining to know the global scenario - demand, global players, how they do business, etc  Do exhaustive information desk-research on global exhibitions and events, for participation and locating other participants

7. Roadmap & Strategies  Design new relationship and create win-win situation like strategic alliance in the areas of mutual strength, networking and multi-stakeholder relationship  Participate in international events and visit global market-places to find out the niches, business currents & Godfathers of that industry. Meet and discuss alliance possibilities  Use the enriched learning to take a re-look at your company to see what more is needed to address your market niches i.e. new technology, international certification, new marketing strategies etc etc

8. Roadmap & Strategies  Based on ICT input and ground realities, create new identity and position yourself to address the global customers.  By extensive use of ICT, approach distant customers, local distributors, service providers and competitors and initiate co-operation dialogue like joint venture, strategic alliance, contract manufacturing, regional marketing and service agreement, distributor agreement etc

9. Roadmap & Strategies This will open newer avenues of business, co-operation with competitors to address new and niche markets. ICT can help in  Improving technology and process  Achieve world class quality  Create global market  Reduce cost  Generate new opportunities  Employment and wealth generation ICT + Networking + Creativity = Miracle

10. We suggest the following:  Feel your way through in the market place and cross the hurdles as they come  Finding out Line of Least Resistance to enter any new market place  Locating global currents, niches and Godfather of the industry  Network is net-worth to the business  Big is not big and Small is not small in today’s world. Co-petition is the need of hour and not competition  Extensive use of ICT and networking to create virtual and physical presence in various parts of the globe New leaf in Strategies book

11. Case Study: Patel Group This is a SME with a group turnover of US$ 10 million having presence in organic chemicals and chemical- pharmaceutical machinery 3 years back, when we started the assignment of global positioning, the group were leaders in some products in India and had a strong brand loyalty but negligible exports and international presence

12. For machinery division, we did the SWOT analysis and Cat- Scan of the organization in terms of de-bottlenecking the system, identifying the products and areas where they have company and product advantage, which can be leveraged globally, etc Then we scanned the potential for the product globally on Internet and other databases where we could find niche areas, global currents and players. We started devising strategies to enter into the global markets Case Study: Patel Group

13. We made few trips to US and Europe to assess the market and discovered the need for International quality certification stamping. And in turn, conducted the exercise to get it Having received the quality certification which enabled them to sell the product to the developed world market, we aggressively started scouting for buyers, distributors and strategic alliance with competitors to sell our products, on the internet. We framed strategies to enter and launch the product in different countries thru ICT Case Study: Patel Group

14. At the same time, we participated in ACHEMA (world exhibition of machineries in Germany) after finding out the industry currents, godfather, niches and regional players thru ICT, with whom we started the discussion for strategic alliance for mutual advantages The whole exercise led to extensively leveraging the product and company on the world platform and forming network for the company in different parts of the globe. We envisage that they will be a major world player to reckon with in a 2 years time Case Study: Patel Group

15. The similar exercise was also done for their Chemicals division. This has resulted in selling products at a premium price to multinationals and having extensive reach in the International market We are able to sell the turnkey project of Salicylic acid plant in Iran, with the help of ICT Case Study: Patel Group

16. Nahak Overseas Ltd Nahak Overseas Ltd is one of the only kind of “Information Consultancy” company. We take pride in saying that we are the pied pipers in the world of ICT opportunities Our expertise is to locate-process-articulate information into business opportunities for our clients. We have developed the expertise to leverage SMEs to become a global player using the power of ICT technologies We are a network of professionals and associates globally, who pool their knowledge, experience & expertise and take keen interest towards furthering the business and its growth plan, by using the power of ICT

17. Description of Commercial activities In all our assignment with different companies in different economic sectors, we provide value addition as follows:  Joint ventures / Strategic alliance / Global networking / Co-operation worldwide  Technology transfer  International marketing and global positioning  International funding  Optimization thru operations research models  Management consultancy  Opportunity identifying and articulation by providing innovative solutions for paradigm shift and geometric growth in business, in today’s competitive world where multi-stake holder partners are involved across the globe. We are able to do all this by tapping the tremendous potential of ICT, networking and Information data-mining

18. Thanks for your patience and time J.C.Shukla Nahak Overseas Ltd www.nahak.com Jcshukla@nahak.com Address: 104 Synergy House, Gorwa-Subhanpura road, Baroda – 390023, Gujarat State, INDIA Tel: +91-265-2285350 / 1419 Fax: +91-265-2282638 US fax: +1-708-585-1309 Email: opps@nahak.comopps@nahak.com