WASHINGTON, DC – USAID,
Babson College, and the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor (GEM) are
embarking on a partnership to strengthen entrepreneurship in different
countries around the world. This innovative new project will measure
entrepreneurship rates and characteristics, as well as other
factors influencing small and medium business growth in Egypt, Turkey,
Nigeria, Pakistan, and Bangladesh. Using this data, policymakers in
these nations will be able to better recognize the type of environment
necessary to promote the creation and growth of small businesses. The
partnership reflects the Obama Administration’s Global Engagement
Initiative, as a means of strengthening ties between the United States
and other nations, including countries with significant Muslim
populations, through economic development and opportunity.
“Over
the past 50 years, USAID has recognized that economic growth is vital
to eradicate poverty and improve the well being of people around the
world,” said Michael Yates, USAID’s senior deputy assistant
administrator for the bureau of Economic Growth, Agriculture and Trade.
“Entrepreneurs are the force behind a growing private economy, which
leads to more opportunity and income, improved living conditions, and an
enhanced connection to the global economy. This new
partnership with Babson College will equip decision makers in many
countries with additional intellectual tools to open the window of
opportunity for more entrepreneurs.”
Academic
GEM research teams in each of the target countries will survey at least
2,000 adults to assess the level of entrepreneurship and a range of
other factors, such as attitudes, intentions, and demographics such as
age, education level and gender of entrepreneurs. In addition, they will
interview experts in finance, government policy, education and other
areas about current practices supporting entrepreneurship. This will
enable them to assess the level of entrepreneurship and current
practices supporting this activity in these important countries.
Babson
College is a co-founder of GEM, whose mission is to explain the link
between economic development and entrepreneurship, and is the lead
sponsoring institution for the research project.
“Babson
has a significant institutional commitment to diffuse entrepreneurship
and entrepreneurial educational models on a global scale. The GEM
project will enable policymakers from participating countries to take
the steps needed to stimulate entrepreneurial activity and to
demonstrate real progress towards small business creation and job
growth,” said Leonard A. Schlesinger, president of Babson College.
This
is the second project that Babson has undertaken with the financial
support of USAID -- the first was the development of the Institute of
Business Administration’s Center for Entrepreneurship Excellence in
Pakistan.
The
GEM research project constitutes the most comprehensive study of
entrepreneurship in the world as it combines the expertise of over 100
of the top entrepreneurship scholars in over 60 countries around the
globe.
USAID
is a U.S. government agency that provides economic, development and
humanitarian assistance around the world in support of the foreign
policy goals of the United States.
Babson College in Wellesley, Mass., is recognized internationally as a leader in entrepreneurial management education.
Michael Chmura
Babson College Director of Public Relations
Wellesley, MA 02457
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., 781-239-4549
Babson College Director of Public Relations
Wellesley, MA 02457
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., 781-239-4549
