Exportacion

Background

The Puerto Rico Trade Company (PRTC) is a public corporation under Puerto Rico’s Department of Economic Development. This recently formed “Company” emerged out of a vision that soughtto position the entrepreneurial spirit together with the liberalization of internal trade as fundamental underpinning of the Island economic development strategy.

The Company’s policies are basedon a model of strategic entrepreneurial development that aims to facilitate access to a network of fast and efficient services that provides support to small and medium-size business. These policiestranslate into counseling programs, education and training, licensing, and direct services to business or individuals engaged within particular sector of the economy.

One of the main projects theCompany is undergoing is the creation of the first World Trade Center (WTC) in the Caribbean. Currently the company is negotiating with the World Trade Center’s Association (WTCA) in order to hold alicense to establish a WTC. Since there is a lack of exporting knowledge in the Island the PRTC has adopted this strategy as a standard bearer for its next generation of trade initiatives that willexpand markets for local firms. It will also provide firms with the acumen and business intelligence to become more savvy traders, and strengthen Puerto Rico’s role as service center and distributionhub.

As the main step towards launching the WTC, the Puerto Rico Trade Company has convened to determine the best way to align its programs with the WTC services. The outcome of this leveraging mustfacilitate local firms’ access to global networks and business opportunities around the world through the WTCA. Our Action Research project will focus on aligning the company’s educational division inorder to facilitate training and education services to those firms interested in engaging exportation.

In order to compile information on the type of training and educational services needed by...