Design for a new curriculum for Business School in India

About the organisation

The Mann Deshi Group provides financial services to rural women in Western Maharashtra, India. Besides providing financial services, they aim to improve women's life by providing the tools necessary to achieve financial inclusion and self sufficiency. Amongst many other activities, the company started a mobile Business School in 2006 to train female entrepreneurs and a community radio.

Business case
Mann Deshi contacted SharePeople to look for an consultant able to design a new curriculum for the Business School. The goal was to address the needs of women who want to start or improve their businesses. The targetgroup of the new curriculum are women who need additional business management training to better establish their businesses and reach a level of sustainability to expand. The assignment was matched with Geertje Peneder a Work & Organisational Psychologist with extensive experience and knowledge in Project Management, Change Management, Supply Chain Management, Process Optimisation & Product Management.

Analysis

Geertje analyzed the organisation by obtaining information (structure, vision, mission etc.) mainly through meetings with CEO Mrs. Chetna Sinha. After that, she conducted in depth interviews with female enterpreneurs, clients of Mann Deshi Bank and the targetgroup of the new curriculum. The women gave their input regarding what elements they would need in a training in order to help them to become self sufficient entrepreneurs.

Outcome

Geertje has put all of her effort in making a detailed Content & Programme Outline for the curriculum for Mann Deshi's Business School. Whereas she gives advice on the programme, the inclusion of a network game, basic financial knowledge, marketing and SWOT-analysis.

Geertje Peneder: "Most inspiring part of the assignment were the interviews with the female entrepreneurs. Business wise they have tought me a lot about entrepreneurship which gained self-empowerment for me. For instance they told me that by doing and talking to other entrepreneurial women self- confidence grows.

Mrs. Chetna Sinha: "Ms. Geertje exhibited an impressive degree of social maturity, creative initiative and passion for economic justice. I am deeply impressed by her enthusiasm and dedication. Mann Deshi is fond of the proposal of Geertje's one day General Business Knowledge Workshop program. Ms. Geertje designed a very well structured outline for this program which explains about the market research and implementation of the program."

Follow up

Mann Deshi is in the process of developing the content of the workshop based on the recommendations suggested. Mann Deshi and SharePeople maintain a two-year partnership. Both organisations will keep in touch (a.o. via the SharePeople liaison, at least every 6 months) After this Programme, an official update on the status of the organisation takes place every 12 months. With this information, a new Programme is one of the possibilities to boost the organisation if needed.