IBM and the World Bank’s International Finance Corporation (IFC) have created a new Small and Medium Enterprise (SME) Toolkit that offers software, business forms, training, and more to help women and minority-owned businesses grow and succeed.
The Small and Medium Enterprise (SME) Toolkit (www.us.smetoolkit.org) is a free program that enables entrepreneurs and small businesses to learn how to implement the sustainable business management practices needed for growth in areas such as finance, accounting, international business, marketing, human resources or legal.
Over 500 pieces of high value content help SMEs learn and implement business management practices and increase their productivity, efficiency and capacity as well as improve their access to capital and new markets. Content is comprised of interactive tools, business forms, training materials, and how-to articles such as debt-to-asset calculators, web site builders, and modular courses on all elements of business.
Among the specially designed free tools are:
•a multilingual business directory to help small businesses link locally, regionally and globally,
• an opportunity to create a webpage to promote your business
• an online calculator that helps small businesses determine their readiness for financing,
• free software to build a web site,
• free business forms used for employee performance evaluations, and
• community tools such as chat rooms and forums.
