The centralized decision-making model runs out of steam as companies and the government ramp up new projects. Delays and poor follow-up lead to disaster because of the lack of bandwidth at the top.
A more decentralized approach with more delegated authority and accountability is what companies should strive for in the future.
During the TOP CEO Award 2022, Rabih I Khoury, Managing Partner & Chief Exit Officer, Middle East Venture Partners (MEVP), will speak with other experts in a panel titled: “The management Bottlenecks.” He will discuss how companies should reinvent themselves to create a more decentralized approach with more delegated authority and accountability.
What should companies do?
In an exclusive interview with TRENDS, Khoury stated that the use of Tech to facilitate communication and digital processes implementation and leverage mature SaaS functionalities (ERPs/CRMs) through mobile apps is what companies should aim for.
These technologies were implemented to replicate offline interactions online, leveraging software to digitize the authority channel and automate decision-making processes. Mobile-first approach: Decentralization of businesses is made possible by highly sophisticated software (with mature technology), as Khoury says.
SMEs challenges
In Khoury’s opinion, GCC SMEs face two main challenges:
- Access to Financing
Businesses and the economy they operate in can only grow and prosper if they have access to the right kinds of capital.
Access to capital remains a significant issue for startups, even though global VC investment is at record levels (with a year-over-year growth rate of 2.3 times by 2021). There are numerous sources of capital available to traditional businesses, including conventional bank financing, alternative finance providers, private equity, and capital markets. Unfortunately, these funding options are unavailable for start-ups and small businesses, notably less dilutive debt solutions.
Investors in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region are getting more global and regional venture capital (VC) funding. However, there is still a big gap to fill compared to mature markets like China and India. By contrast, in the United States, only 0.80 percent of GDP is invested in venture capital (VC). For SMEs in the GCC, debt i. Working Capital (WC) does not exist
Venture Debt (VD) is being used by companies with a history of operations but lacks sufficient positive cash flows to qualify for conventional loans. However, the prevalence of VD in the region is still low. - Â Access to Tech
The pandemic has dramatically accelerated the digitization process. However, less than 40 percent of small businesses have digitized their core processes in developed markets like North America and Western Europe. MENA is expected to have even less of this soon.
When it used to be more difficult, Covid pushed for more advanced, less expensive, and easier to use technology.
The following issues still plague this digital transformation:
Digital skills are in short supply, as is cultural resistance to change. There is a lack of budget/commitment and a lock on the necessary technologies.
Needed laws and regulations
When asked about the laws and regulations still needed in the GCC area to assist SMEs in developing their businesses, Khoury mentioned these:
- Immature bankruptcy laws.
- No government support for SME lending, especially for expats founded SMEs.
- Specialized business knowledgeable judges.
- Long and expensive legal processes.
A few examples of the types of initiatives that could be used in the GCC to assist small and medium-sized businesses are loans provided through governments, SME centers to provide education and training, and various funding programs.