USH Pro Business and Smart eHub

are inviting you at

THE IMPACT OF DIGITALIZATION
ON SME WORLD TRADE
27-28 January 2020, Bucharest
INTRODUCTION

Digitalization and international trade have both developed at a very fast rate over the last few decades.
This has resulted in the creation of international value chains and the generation of major wealth for
large groups. Simultaneously, governments and the European Union have encouraged the creation of
start-ups and the development of innovative SMEs. This workshop guides participants through the
numerous aspects of international trade and the barriers they create for SME and offers avenues
allowing SME to establish its right place in the global world.

The key objectives include:

• Understanding the importance of global value chains.

• Identify key barriers SME face in developing an international trade presence.

• Develop digital solutions that will assist SME to participate in global value chains.

ARGUMENTS

 The digitalization of SMEs leads to positive outcomes for SMEs themselves, for large companies and
for countries themselves.

 By digitalizing, SMEs, they are able to successfully integrate international value chains and obtain
financing that will allow them to develop.

 For large corporations, a linkage with digitalized SMEs allows them to absorb the innovation potential
of SMEs into their value chains. SMEs carry the largest potential for innovation. This is particularly true
in nascent and high-tech industries where digitalizing SMEs to allow them to integrate international
value chains increases the competitiveness of large corporations.

 For countries, SMEs generate employment and contribute to innovation. This, in turn, creates added
value therefore contribution to tax collection.
THE TRAINER

Professor Michael Akerib

After having obtained a Master degree in Biochemistry, he built up his academic

background with an MBA, a post-graduate diploma in Industrial History and
Geography and a PhD in social sciences.
A major part of his career was spent with Dow Chemical, COMILOG (Compagnie
Minière de l’Ogooué) and Merrill Lynch. In the academic world he has been the
rector of a private university group and assisted its international expansion.
Since 1991 he has been an independent consultant to SMEs and an educator and
trainer.
He is an expert in international trade.

AGENDA

DAY ONE
10:00 – 10:45 Global value chains
10:45 – 11:30 Barriers to International Trade
11:30 – 11:45 Coffee break
11:45 – 12:30 Hyper competition
12:30 – 13:00 Lunch
13:00 – 13:45 Digitization
13:45 – 14:30 The power of the Internet
14:30 – 14:45 Break
14:45 – 15:30 Direct and indirect trade
15:30 – 16:15 Trade digitalization platforms

DAY TWO
10:00 – 10:45 SMEs
10:45 – 11:30 Connecting to value chains
11:30 – 11:45 Break
11:45 – 12:30 Access to trade finance
12:30 – 13:00 National policies
13:00 – 13:45 The WTO Trade Facilitation Agreement.

• The training course is in English and will take place on January 27-28, 2020 at USH PRO BUSINESS located
on no. 34-36, Nicolae Iorga str, 1st floor, Bucharest.
• Participation fee is 50 Euro/person. The participation fee will be paid in LEI at the BNR exchange rate on
the billing day, into the account RO08 RZBR 0000 0600 0466 9150, opened at Raiffeisen Bank, Victoria Branch,
having as beneficiary SPIRU HARET UNIVERSITY, CIF 14871616, address: 13, Ion Ghica str, Bucharest. The
payment order will mention workshop ”Digitalization impact ”. Please ask for the invoice before the payment.
• To confirm the participation, you can send the Registration Form at e-mail: office@ushprobusiness.ro
• The proof of payment will be scanned and sent to office@ushprobusiness.ro, until 24.01.2020
• The price includes: templates and coffee-break