The Business Planning and Entrepreneurship Program of La Consolacion College Manila

摘要

In the Philippines, entrepreneur-ship is the backbone of its economy. The Small and Medium Enterprises (SME) sector comprises 99.6% of all registered firms, employs 69.9% of the total labor force and contributes 32% to the economy. SMEs have become a potent force to eradicate the vicious cycle of poverty.Cognizant of this vital role and in response to the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) Memorandum Order, La Consolacion College Manila (LCCM) developed its unique curriculum and offered an innovative entrepreneurship program, benchmarking on best practices from leading local and foreign schools. Its Program has two components: 1) the Business Planning and Entrepreneurship Program offered across disciplines; and 2) the straight BS Entrepreneurship Program.A business incubator, equipped with the necessary production equipment, working tables, fax machine, and computers is in place as a simulation room. In our Business Planning Course, teaching pedagogy has evolved from the traditional financial investment return criteria in an oral defense to include innovation, technology and socio-economic impact as added factors to consider. A worksheet-type method of developing a business plan was introduced to guide students.The Program has produced innovative product and/or service designs, concepts, winners in national inter-school competitions and rolled out or implemented financially viable projects.