International Entrepreneurship Training for Women: APEC Women’s e-Biz Training

Background

A single most important driving force in the today’s economy is women. As coined in their “Guide to Womenomics,” the Economist argues that the future of the world economy lies increasingly in female hands - perhaps the world's most under-utilized resource. Over the last couple of decades, it concludes, women have contributed more to global GDP growth than have either new technology or the new giants, China and India. In the developing world, the underutilization of women stunts economic growth.

Luckily, in today’s economy, there are more avenues available for women to bringing out their untapped potentials. As digital technologies reshape the social, economic and political contexts within which we lead our everyday lives, there are more women participating in the digital economy, albeit slower than their male counterparts. In particular, e-business, which levels out the playing field between gender, nations and regions, has emerged as one of the most powerful agents to achieve the socio-economic advancement of women. The time is ripe to help women explore the potential of digital technologies to bring wider and long lasting benefits to themselves. The time also is ripe to help women to not only become aware of the available tools but to bring out the potential in themselves and really step forward in advancing themselves, too. Given the continuous nature of digital evolution, there is much room for innovative ideas that can expand women’s opportunities in the digital era.

Training Objectives

• Appreciate the significance of innovation and entrepreneurship in the digital economy
• Understand the technical requirements of starting e-Business
• Work in a group to draft a sound business plan which incorporates marketing and/or innovation strategy
• Know how to establish a company homepage using pre-established solutions
• Build a network of women entrepreneurs in the Asia-Pacific region
• Learn the latest technologies and trends beyond e-Business (e.g. mobile, digital content)

Thematic Scope

The training programme aims to tap into the underappreciated women’s potential and power, and catalyze women’s economic activities in the digital economy, thus contribute to the overall growth of economic power of Asia and the Pacific.