Senior trade practitioners sharpen skills on measuring institutional performance
(Geneva/San José) – Senior representatives of trade and investment support institutions (TISIs) in the Caribbean and Central and South America are now better equipped to measure and report on institutional performance – which can fuel economic growth and reduce poverty – following a workshop led by the International Trade Centre (ITC).
The interactive training session on the topic of ‘Driving Performance through Effective Measurement’ was held in San José, Costa Rica, from 30 August to 1 September. Arranged by ITC and supported by Promotora del Comercio Exterior de Costa Rica (ProComer), the country’s national trade promotion organization, the workshop targeted chief executives and senior managers of TISIs. The workshop showed how good measurement can help improve institutional performance on trade, job creation and economic growth.
Creating a results-oriented culture
Participants learned about tools and examples to develop and improve the way their organizations measure performance. Using a pragmatic, strategy-based approach to performance measurement, participants received coaching on recognizing the importance of establishing and supporting a results-oriented culture within their organizations.
‘This was the best workshop I have ever attended. The organization, the content, the exercises, the location, everything was excellent and I can’t wait to put into practice and share with everyone in ProNicaragua the skills and tools that we learned,’ said María Teresa Chamorro of ProNicaragua.
The workshop also included a practical exercise developed in partnership with Bougainvillea Foundation, a Costa Rica-based organization that supports six charity organizations.
The workshop in Costa Rica was part of ITC’s TISI Strengthening Programme, which is designed to improve the managerial and operational performance of trade and investment organizations.
Reducing poverty, improving inclusiveness
A recent ITC publication published in partnership with the University of Geneva, Investing in Trade Promotion Generates Revenue, noted that TISIs act as critical multipliers of economic growth, helping to reduce poverty and improve inclusiveness. According to the European Trade Promotion Organisations, US$1 spent on export promotion generates US$87 of additional exports and an addition of US$385 to the gross domestic product for the median country.
According to participants, the workshop provided fresh impetus and
‘We are constantly looking for improvement and after this workshop we have lots of new contents to think about and improve our measurement system,’ said Norman Aguilar of ProComer.
The workshop in Costa Rica was part of AIM For Results, ITC’s TISI Strengthening Programme, which is designed to improve the managerial and operational performance of trade and investment organizations. The programme is sponsored by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland.
Learn more about the ITC Trade and Investment Support Institutions Strengthening Programme and the TISI Benchmarking initiative.
