Ablan, J. P. S. (2014). Developing a guidebook on organizing an effective regional trade off (Unpublished master's thesis). Public Management Development Program, Development Academy of the Philippines.

Public Management Development Program Middle Managers Class Batch 4 Thesis (MMC)--Development Academy of the Philippines.

A trade fair is one of the marketing events organized either by DTI or the private sector, designated to increase the exposure and distribution of micro, small and medium enterprise (MSME) products and services in the domestic and foreign markets alike. It is way of providing MSMEs Access to Markets (A2M) as identifed under the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprise (MSMED) Plan 2011-2016 (CTI RODG, 2008). In the Bicol Region, the Orgullo Kan Bicol (OKB) Regional Trade Fair is one of the DTI's marketing and development programs that showcases proudly Bicol-made products and services that help launch MSME product in the national and international markets. In 2010, the conduct of trade fairs was one of the service processes documented when DTI V embarked on ISO Certification in 2010. The process was systematized to ensure a well-coordinated and effective conduct of trade fair. Scope covers activities from preparation of proposal to submission of post-activity report )DTI Region V, 2010). However, upon analysis of the OKB using the McKinsey 7S Model developed in 1980s by Mc Kinsey Consultants Tom Peters, Robert Waterman and Julien Philips, it lacks the seven (7) elements. Particularly, OKB has no systematic process and a fixed set of procedures - these reasons are considered causes of erratic sales performance for the past years, ineffective strategies in the conduct of OKB, fluctuating OKB participation and failure of the envisioned turn-over by DTI-V of OKB management to OKB Bikol Association. The case of OKB can be compared to "The Information Problem Set" adapted from Ernst and Young (1920) which says, "I know it's there but I don's know where it is". While it is true that all members of the DTI staff may be familiar with the conduct of the trade fair, the flow of work and procedures is not put into writing. This results in varying interpretations by stakeholders, conflict among organizers and sometime failure in some phases of the event. To rectify this failure, a Re-Entry Project of developing a guide book on organizing an effective regional trade fair was undertaken. The book contains the guidelines and work flow when holding a regional trade fair. This includes preparation, implementation and post-implementation phases. Specifically, it contains a package of holistic market-driven services, training and seminars to upgrade the marketing skills of entrepreneurs, promotion and events to attract more shoppers, product and skills demonstration for the education of potential entrepreneurs, and market matching between buyers and sellers to ensure sales generation. The book functions as set of guidelines or a template that can be followed by organizers to ensure the conduct of an effective regional trade fair, one that can fuel the growth and development of MSMEs. In crafting the trade fair guide book, the Re-Entry project collaborated with different stakeholder, namely the Metro Naga Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MNCCI), organizer of the Bicol Business Week; Caceres Social Action Foundation, Inc, a church-based group and organizer of the Bishop Francisco Gainza Trade Fair; OB Bikol Association, co-organizer of the Orgullo Kan Bikol Regional Trade Fair and the group of MSMEs in Camarines Sur, the Bicol Procedures and Manufacturers Association of Camarines Sur (BPMACS). The book was presented and duly endorsed by the concerned stakeholders. MSMEs play a major role in the country's economic development; hence their interests must be protected. They account for about 99.6% of the total registered businesses in the country by which 63% of the labor force earn a living. MSMEs also contribute to the creation of wealth. Around 35.7% of the total sales and value added in the manufacturing comes from MSMEs. This sector also plays a major role in rural industrialization; rural development and decentralization of industries; earning of foreign exchange (forex) resources; creation of backward and forward linkages with existing industries; hence, bringing about a more balanced economic growth and equity in income distribution (DTI).