DED, DWC organise seminar on business growth through franchising

The four-hour long seminar aimed at developing the skills of UAE national entrepreneurs to build small and medium enterprises (SMEs) by reviewing potential investment opportunities in the franchise sector in the emirate.

"The seminar comes as part of the Memorandum of Understanding signed earlier with DWC to support and encourage UAE women entrepreneurs to enter the business world and explore franchise opportunities," said Mr. Khalid Al Kassim, Deputy Director General for Planning and Development at the DED.

"DWC plays a proactive role in assisting students to develop their own businesses through the newly established DWC Entrepreneurship Centre. DED plans to further develop franchise management by guiding and enabling UAE entrepreneurs - individuals and companies - to extend their business regionally and internationally," added Mr. Al Kassim

"The Dubai Women's College Entrepreneurship Centre will be a community resource for individuals seeking help and guidance in starting their business or in improving the performance of their existing operation," said Mr Jamie Stewart, Dean, Business, Education, and Learning Resources at DWC.

"The Entrepreneurship Centre has been jointly developed with the Dubai Department of Economic Development and will provide training, mentoring, business information and research, start-up services, and a business innovation or incubation centre. The goal of the centre is to increase the number of new businesses and entrepreneurship activities in the community," added Stewart.

Mr. Saad Ebrahim Abbas, from the Business Sector Development Division at DED, explained topics related to franchising such as the concept and benefits to be gained from franchising, how to make business grow through franchising, negotiating a franchise, the importance of legal documentation in franchising and how to transform your small project into a major franchisee.

The Franchise Management Service was launched by the Business Sector Development Division at the DED to provide high quality information and support services to individuals and Small and Medium Enterprises to ensure growth and improvement of new and existing franchising businesses. It also aims to attract international corporations to set up their regional bases in Dubai. The Franchise Management Service has achieved remarkable success having offered consultancy services to more than 400 businesses in Dubai since its launch in May 2005.