US-ASEAN Business Council official urged SMEs to use Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in order to enhance competitiveness and development into digital economy

Michael W. Michalak, Senior Vice President and Regional Managing Director of US-ABC (US-ASEAN Business Council, urged small and medium enterprises (SME) to use ICT in order to enhance competitiveness and development during a one day workshop for SMEs named “Digital Transformation to Boost Competitiveness” held at Novotel Hotel, Yangon.

Information and Communication Technology (ICT)

“98 percent of enterprises in Myanmar are SMEs, and we have not seen Digital Economy Growth. In order to improve competitiveness, SMEs need to grab potential benefits by transforming into digital economy. It is important that Myanmar’s SMEs are well-prepared,’’ he added.

The workshop was jointly held by US-ASEAN Business Council, US ICT Council for Myanmar, Max Myanmar Holdings Co., Ltd, UMFCCI and Myanmar Young Entrepreneurs Association with the aim of creating New Technology and E-commerce Platform to enhance digital transformation.

The workshop covers various topics such as digital technologies enabling SMEs to get familiar with a digital ecosystem and enhancing Myanmar economic development, as well as digital marketing fro SMEs, how to use Facebook effectively for business, and digital payment systems.

In 2016, US-ABC in collaboration with USAID launched the ASEAN SME Academy (www.asean-sme-academy.org), an official ASEAN online learning tool for SMEs offering free courses and resources from US-ABC member companies. Sectors covered these initiatives include the use of modern Information and Communication Technology (ICT) tools, use of electronic payment system, marketing, logistics, and women entrepreneurship.

(Myanmar Business Today: https://www.mmbiztoday.com/articles/us-asean-business-council-official-urges-smes-use-ict )

​