1. General
Background
It has been observed over the last thirty years or so that
the emergence and rapid diffusion of new technologies,
through the creation of new products, processes and services,
are restructuring the global economy, and are also changing
the characteristics and performance of many conventional
products and processes.
While the emergence of new technologies has created new
challenges, It has also opened up new windows of opportunity
for “latecomers” to industrialization. It is, therefore, it
is, therefore, imperative for developing countries and
economies in transition of build up capabilities in new
technologies, especially at the enterprise level. And apart
from the emergence of new technologies a technical sense,
innovation takes place in management styles and
organizational structure often as a result of the new
technologies.
The Consultancy industry has been going through rapid and
profound changes, as the twenty-first century looms nearby,
certain implications begin to emerge. Small firm in
developing countries will have to find and secure well
defined niches as specialist attempt to acquire the more
dynamic small and medium-sized firm.
In the above context, the Technical Consultancy Development
Programme for Asia and the Pacific (TCDPAP) was established
in 1992 following the adoption of a Memorandum by the
Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific
(ESCAP). The Asia-Pacific Center for Transfer of Technology
(APCTT) also supports this programme. Both are UN
Agencies.
TCDPAP is an Organization of Consultants representing
fourteen countries. Its member countries bedsides Nepal are
Bangladesh, China, India, Indonesia, Iran Korea, Laos,
Malaysia, Myanmar, Pakistan, Philippines, Sri Lanka and
Vietnam. TCDPAP plays an effective role in the promotion of
Consultancy profession and is instrumental for resolving the
problems inherent in the consultancy industry in Asia and the
Pacific region, and for promoting collaboration and global
partnership.
The Consultancy Development Centre (CDC) at Delhi is the
Focal Agency to implement and monitor the programmes of
TCDPAP up the year 2000, pending establishment of permanent
Secretariat.
2.
Objectives
The primary objectives of the
TCDPP include promotion of domestic consultant and technical
services entrepreneur in national and regional projects in
the ESCAP region through promotional programmes and continues
growth of consultancy and technical services capabilities
including meaningful transfer of technology for better
sharing of globalization benefits.
The export and import of consultancy services to and from
developing countries within the ESCAP regions one of the
major objectives within the broad philosophy of TCDPA.
The
Programme aims:
i. To promote better
utilization of local consultants in national and regional
projects in the ESCAP region through establishing, developing
and continuously updating an information system and
programmes; and disseminating such information to end –users
in a timely and orderly manner, as related to:
a) Existing consultancy capabilities within public and
private organization and institutions, as well as science and
technology, research and development and engineering design
institutions, institutions of higher learning providing
consultancy services and professional associations.
b) Available opportunities for collaboration and/or joint
ventures in consultancy works.
ii. To develop, introduce and popularize schemes to enhance
local consultancy capabilities through policy measures,
institutional arrangements and training programmes in the
approaches and methodology of providing consultancy
services.
The programme will provide a framework achieving these
objectives through technical cooperation activities among and
between national apex Consultancy organization, government
institutions, and relevant non-governmental organizations and
institutions of the region, as well as international
organizations such as ESCAP, the United Nations Industrial
Development Organization (UNIDO) and the International Trade
Centre UNCTAD/(ITC).
3.
Activities
Seven major categories of
activities are to be undertaken within the programme:
Training and continuing education
Information documentation and dissemination
Advisory services
Joint research/general studies
Institution strengthening and policy formulation, and
Collaboration programmes
Forums of representatives of participating bodies
4.
Workshops/Conferences
TCDPAP has
successfully held nine Annual Workshops/Conferences on
various themes in Delhi, India (1995); Beijing,China (1996);
Dhaka, Bangladesh (1997); Kathmandu, Nepal (1998); Lahore,
Pakistan (1999); Beijing, China (2001); Kuala Lampur,
Malaysia (2002), Hanoi, Vietnam (2003); and Bali, Indonesia
(2003).
It is generally believed that the 21st century will be a
century of extra-ordinary development of knowledge-based
economy and all developing countries will greatly strengthen
their economic development and the consultancy in the next
millennium will definitely propel the profession in TCDPAP
countries.
The success of TCDPAP will be a small yet important catalytic
factor in underpinning the present burgeoning international
investment, trade and technology flows within the
Asia-Pacific region.
The heightened awareness of the important of consultancy
services to the region's industrial and technological
infrastructure and its reading position provides a unique
opportunity to increased support to the TCDPAP so that
national consultancy networks can derive direct and tangible
benefits therefrom. International credibility for consultancy
services in the Asia-Pacific region is a major objective for
TCDPAP. This will require a substantial effort on behalf of
all members of the Executive Committee viz: Bangladesh,
China, India, Indonesia, Iran, Malaysia, Pakistan and
Republic of Korea to see that the biennial programmes of
works formulated for TCDPAP, in accordance with the
medium-term plans adopted by the General Council, are
actively supported at the national level so that the fruits
of regional cooperation can be fully utilized.