20 dec 2010
Seminar on "The right choice of credit" and "Marketing"
Within the framework of project "Poverty alleviation in Tajikistan through education and non-formal training" was held the cycle of seminars on business planning on the theme "The right choice of credit" and "Marketing". The participants of the workshops were students of short term courses of partner vocational schools and lyceums. Seminars for students of short term courses of partner vocational schools and lyceums of Sughd region were held in the office of PO ASTI from 14th to 18th of December 2010 And for the students of short term courses of partnership vocational schools and lyceums of Khatlon region seminars were held from 16th till 20th of December 2010 in the business center Poytaht.
Within 5 days, the participants familiarized with the history of credit and microfinance system, suppliers of credit resources. It was especially interesting to the participants of the seminar to learn that credit and micro-credit are issued not only by banks but also other loan organizations (MDO, MLO, MLF), which function in almost all rural areas. In places of residence of the participants a lot of financial institutions are functioning on the activities of which they had very little information, did not have a clear concept of their functioning and the provision of loans and for the sake of improving the business. There was also insufficient information about credits and loans, credit conditions, on measures of provision of received loans by bail and other guarantees for the return and so on.
Since seminar participants are students of short term courses, they asked about the choice of credit and credit organizations (banks and MFOs), the methods of calculating interest rate, penalty and court sanctions, work with the bail - its execution and the norm, which is necessary to obtain credit.
Participants were interested in effective interest rate, the interest rate that takes into account all financial and other costs incurred by the borrower during the loan and actually pays to creditor. As some of the participants said: - The effective interest rate really shows, what percentage of the loan, we actually pay creditors, because we did not make such a calculation before.
The participants were given the task on calculating interest, formation of exemplary schedule of repayment, writing financial reports, and items of financial reports, on which credit grantor will focus their attention. It should be noted that the majority of participants were interested in the time of bail provision for loans, what method of providing bail doesn’t require adequate cost and reduces the cost of such borrowing. All kinds of guarantees were reviewed in detail – types of bail as a method of group loans, as well as individual loan, by providing hard bail and with the participation of guarantors.
Many of the participants had only some idea about the concept of marketing, but had not an opportunity to learn more. During the familiarization with the history of marketing the participants expressed keen interest and fun. It was especially interesting to the participants of the seminar to find out the origins of today's generation of marketing lies far to the emergence of civilizations. Roots of marketing should be found in the oldest exchange, the participant of which is a person: the exchange of man and nature. What were the first signs of marketing, weak marketing signals? In the state of the exchange occurring in nature, are not only people but all living beings in our planet: plants, insects, birds, animals ... Exchange with the environment for all living things is necessary condition of existence, ensuring the satisfaction of essential needs. Type of activity of all living beings, aimed at meeting the needs and wants through exchange with nature, is nothing like the unconscious, instinctive reflex marketing, processes and phenomena accompanying it, should be qualified as weak marketing signals - the precursors of modern marketing. This is a marketing competition and survival, factors affecting the growth and regulation of numbers, interspecific interactions and ecological niches. According to the classical definition of F. Kotler, marketing - is a human activity aimed at meeting the needs and wants through exchange. The tip on where to find the roots of marketing lies in this definition, namely, in a word exchange.
The participants showed interest and loudly discussed topics related to the purpose and objectives of marketing. Particularly interesting and important point for participants was to learn about the components of marketing - Principle 4 R. Participants were surprised by the fact that some economists believe that the components may be more than 4. Thus, in the framework of the seminar were reviewed and other principles – supplementing the principle 4P (Principle 5R, 7R, 12R). Were considered all important points of marketing research, market research was interesting and lively, advertising, history of advertising, its types, methods of usage, trade mark, packaging and other areas of advertising to sale products / services.
The last theme was related to the concept of price, its impact on consumers of goods and services, influence, and survival among competitors, and pricing procedures. During the workshop, participants were divided into small groups, solved problems, made presentations. Also, during all days of training were conducted games -energizers.
As a result of work in small groups, every member of the group, presented their work.
