News & Events

31 August 2015

Consultancy Market in Kosovo

The profession of Consultants in Kosovo still enjoys low recognition. Demand for business consultancy is low as a result of lack of awareness of benefits of consultancy among entrepreneurs and Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs).

The Kosovo SME Promotion Programme (KOSME) aims at addressing essential elements of succeeding the consultancy market for SMEs in Kosovo. According to the Capacity Scan of Business Consultants in Kosovo (2013), business consultancy services are subsidized substantially by public or donor support schemes. Kosovo’s consultancy market consists of a diversity of consultants which may number in hundreds. The majority of surveyed consultants state that they have held a consultancy profession as freelancers for more than five years, primarily in the capital Prishtina. Specifically, consultants offer services correlated to general business management or various trainings on staff, marketing and sales, public relations and the development of business contacts and co-operations with markets in Kosovo. With an overall average clientele number of 22 per year, clients are typically domestic businesses comprising of 1 to 49 employees, but nevertheless a significant number also offer their services abroad. Around half of the surveyed consultants attain clients in sectors of food processing, beverages and tobacco products; whereas a considerable number of clients are also gained through sectors of education/qualification, hotels and restaurants as well as information and communication. The typical number of working days for consultancy services is 10 days with an average daily fee rate of € 120 Euros.  

With continued technical assistance, KOSME has enabled the reestablishment of the Business Consultants Council (BCC), the sole representative institution of business consultants in Kosovo. This year the BCC has also applied for membership at the ICMCI Institute, which will enable BCC to contribute to the quality of consultancy services through provision of CMC certifications for local consultants.

A second pillar, where KOSME is providing assistance to local consultants is through the re-established and re-organized Voucher Counseling Scheme (VCS) of the Ministry of Trade and Industry of Kosovo. The VCS supports the growth of SMEs as key contributors to job creation and poverty reduction. The re-established scheme is transparent and efficient throughout the entire administrative process. It also contributes to extensive opportunities for growth and expertise for consultants and to build trust between consultants and entrepreneurs.

The significant improvements of the VCS, the revived Business Consultants Council as well as prospective accreditation with the ICMCI, are clearly contributing to an increase of awareness and demand for business consulting services. By ultimately improving the quality of consultancy services, KOSME is contributing to the promotion of market-oriented private sector development while fostering global competitiveness of Kosovo’s SMEs in line with the principles of sustainable development.

 

ECIKS / KOSME

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