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Female Entrepreneur Builds Engineering Services Firm in Laos.

Founded in 2009 by entrepreneur Siriphone Phanthavong, Electrical Civil Mechanical Engineering (ECME) specializes in providing engineering services in Lao PDR. Prior to founding ECME, Siriphone worked on infrastructure projects in the mining industry – primarily electrical installations. As Laos saw a boom in mining and hydropower, Siriphone identified a market niche for international standard engineering services. In 2013, ECME founder Siriphone was a winner of the Mekong Women’s Entrepreneur Challenge (MWEC) - a competition for highly motivated women who own small to medium sized businesses....

June 16, 2016

By tottenBusiness Consulting, Private Sector Development

Amru Rice

Export led investment key in Rice sector

Amru Rice is at the forefront of developments in the Cambodian rice industry. In 2012, Amru worked with Emerging Markets Consulting under the Export Market Access Fund, to boost its export growth. Amru Rice was founded on three generations of agricultural trading dating back to 1960. SONG Saran joined the family firm in 2008, and embarked upon a process of export-led investment and modernization. Today he is Chairman of a leading diversified agricultural business in Cambodia. Leading Cambodian rice exporter Following the completion of a...

June 7, 2016

By tottenBusiness Consulting, Private Sector Development

Bodia Nature

Bodia Nature Global Ambitions

Bodia Nature is a leading Cambodian Well Being brand, which counts France, China, Japan, Europe and America as key export markets. The French-Khmer brand was developed in 2006, with the ambition of producing 100 percent, all-natural beauty products in Cambodia. In 2012, Bodia Nature worked with EMC, under the Export Market Access Fund (EMAF), to launch exports to Europe. Bodia Nature initially targeted France for 4 reasons - rapidly rising online shopping, one of the largest cosmetics and wellbeing sectors in Europe, and a...

May 30, 2016

By tottenBusiness Consulting, Market Entry & Investment, Private Sector Development

What is a property bubble?

Our other post examines the current state of the Phnom Penh property market. This post explains what a bubble is and why property can behave differently from other asset classes. What is a bubble? A bubble is a situation where the price of something is higher than its fair (or intrinsic) value. That is, the price is above that supported by economic conditions (“fundamentals”). The fundamental value of an asset is the present value of all future cash flow that the asset...

May 24, 2016

By Michael SmiddyEconomic Research, Market Entry & Investment

Is there a bubble in Phnom Penh property?

In 2009–10, Phnom Penh property prices fell around 40% and did not recover until 2014. Are we in another property bubble, and what might trigger another crash? Boom town Real estate is booming in Phnom Penh. There are many new developments, and prices have increased significantly over recent years. Land prices in most central areas of Phnom Penh have doubled since 2010 – in Chroy Chang Va they have tripled. A large number of condominiums have been recently constructed and more are under...

May 24, 2016

By k4mediaEconomic Research, Market Entry & Investment

cookstoves

Market Assessment – Cookstoves in Myanmar

A thorough market assessment is important - for firms and development partners alike - before launching any new product, service or campaign. In 2014, GERES’ StovePlus Programme officially launched their Switch-Asia funded project “Upscaling Improved Cookstove Dissemination in Myanmar.” In a country of 60 million people, where 70% of the population uses solid biomass for daily cooking needs, access to clean cooking energy is a high priority. Reducing biomass consumption through Improved Cookstoves (ICS) is one of the widely recognized measures taken...

February 21, 2016

By k4mediaMarket Development, Market Entry & Investment

Employer Perceptions Across ASEAN – ILO

The ASEAN Economic Community (AEC), a single regional common market and production base, will become a reality in 2015 for the 600 million women and men of the 10 ASEAN Member States. This will lead to the freer flow of goods, services, investment and skilled labour in the region. New opportunities for growth and prosperity are likely to emerge, but the challenge is to ensure that growth is inclusive and prosperity is shared. For businesses, the AEC poses a range of...

February 21, 2016

By tottenEconomic Research, Private Sector Development

Calling All Cambodian Entrepreneurs

In 2015, the Ministry of Commerce launched the MOC 101 Incubator, to showcase Cambodia’s budding entrepreneurs—their best ideas and start-up businesses. During the following months and successive rounds of competition, applicants have received guidance for business formation, technical assistance and intensive mentorship through a formalized incubator program. Now, in February 2016, the final 20 graduates and “best ideas” have been chosen, and the time has come to select the winners. During this final gathering, The Pitch, the entrepreneurs will present their...

February 21, 2016

By k4mediaPrivate Sector Development

Improving Trade and Logistics in Cambodia

Cambodia sits in a dynamic region (sandwiched between the economies of Thailand and Vietnam) and its best hope for improving livelihoods is to integrate further into the dynamic ASEAN region. Weak logistics have long impeded Cambodia’s progress in realising its trade potential, however, because export costs are higher than Thailand and Vietnam. Cambodia’s farmers and manufacturers encounter difficulties in moving goods to markets; exporters face challenges in supplying overseas customers and integration into regional production networks remains challenging. World Bank Group,...

February 21, 2016

By k4mediaEconomic Research, Private Sector Development

Joint Country Portfolio Performance Review (JCPPR)

The Joint Country Portfolio Performance Review (JCPPR) is a collaborative review of World Bank and ADB in-country portfolios. The purpose is to coordinate their activities and represent a coordinated approach to engagement with the host Government. Each year, either World Bank or ADB take the lead on procuring consultants to manage this process, and EMC has been contracted by both organisations multiple times in Lao PDR, Cambodia and Myanmar. The 2015 Myanmar JCPR also included JICA, due to their long standing presence in...

February 18, 2016

By k4mediaEvaluation Impact

EMC speaking at seminar on ASEAN RVC

The growth of ASEAN in the global economy represents a great opportunity for Lao, and other lower income economies. ASEAN boasts world class universities to develop new products, educated and youthful population to make them, global financial centres and easy access to world markets. The David Totten (EMC), at seminar on Lao PDR integration in to Regional Value Chains ASEAN firms at the forefront of this process, seek to sustain a competitive advantage, by arranging their supply chains, in the most value maximizing way....

February 14, 2016

By k4mediaEconomic Research, Private Sector Development

Thank You To Our Clients & Partners In 2015

A big thank you to all our clients and partners in 2015. Across all countries, we worked with over 42 organisations – many of them multiple times. We worked directly for the Governments of Lao PDR and Cambodia (Evaluation of Business Assistance Fund, and National Biodigester Program respectively). We undertook several projects for each of the major multilaterals; ADB, World Bank and the UN (ILO, UNICEF and WFP), in trade, ASEAN integration, private sector development and social research. We also worked...

February 3, 2016

By tottenEconomic Research, Evaluation Impact, Market Development, Market Entry & Investment, Private Sector Development, Strategy

Accessing capital via financial modelling

Our first blog post explained the access to finance experienced by Private Water Operators in Cambodia. This second post details how our financial modelling and business planning helped 20 businesses overcome it. A more detailed description of our work and its success is in this World Bank report. Introduction Profitable businesses frequently lack access to finance to grow, whether that be investing in productive assets (fixed assets), or financing working capital and supply chains (inventory). Businesses in Cambodia, as in many other...

January 14, 2016

By Michael SmiddyBusiness Consulting, Market Entry & Investment

Why is access to finance a problem for water suppliers?

Profitable businesses frequently lack access to finance to grow, whether that be investing in productive assets (fixed assets), or financing working capital and supply chains (inventory). Businesses in Cambodia, as in many other countries, find access to debt finance particularly difficult, as they lack appropriate collateral to secure the loan, and banks lack the capacity to analyse the investment opportunity. Here we present a case study of a 2014-15 project we undertook with GRET in the piped water industry, to...

January 12, 2016

By tottenEconomic Research, Private Sector Development

SEAC Solar Energy Association of Cambodia

In 2014 EMC hosted the inaugural meeting of SEAC (the Solar Energy Association of Cambodia). The association hopes to promotes increased use of Founders of SEAC solar energy in Cambodia, through policy advocacy, awareness raising and improving standards throughout the industry. Electricity prices are relatively high in Cambodia compared to Vietnam and Thailand and the national grid relatively underdeveloped. However the conditions for solar energy are excellent, even during rainy season. Consequently, solar energy should provide a valuable contribution to Cambodia's economic development through increasing...

January 5, 2016

By k4mediaPrivate Sector Development

AEC promises freer movement of labour … at the margin

Will AEC help labour shortages in Lao PDR? We often hear that the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) will free up the movement of labour between ASEAN countries. This, we are told, will have big implications for Laotian businesses and workers. However, we shouldn’t lose sight of the country’s biggest labour market challenge: a shortage of low-skilled workers. Under the AEC, governments are trying to make it easier for skilled workers in a few specific occupations to work in any ASEAN country. It...

January 1, 2016

By k4mediaEconomic Research

Improving Basic Education in Cambodia

Despite improvements in Cambodia's education system - due largely to reforms and increased government spending since 2001 - significant challenges remain, in particular a lack of access and the low quality of basic education services. These problems are felt most acutely in remote and rural areas, and by marginalised groups such as the poor, ethnic minorities, and girls. USAID's Improved Basic Education in Cambodia Project was designed to address these issues of access and quality through an approach that emphasizes...

February 21, 2015

By Matt van RoosmalenEvaluation Impact

Cambodia Trade Corridor Performance Assessment – World Bank

EMC does a lot of research in various aspects of economic competitiveness and in particular trade. This report by World Bank, published in 2014, draws on formative research completed by EMC on main trade corridors between Cambodia, Lao PDR and Thailand. The World Bank Report is available for download here.

February 21, 2014

By k4mediaEconomic Research, Private Sector Development

Lao PDR Sanitation Supply Chain – WSP

This supply chain study is a formative quantitative and qualitative research of consumer and supply chain analysis for rural sanitation. The intention is to diagnose at a very detailed level the distinct differences in physical and market environments, in order to inform subsequent programming. It also focuses on the commonly found or most preferred products and approaches for achieving improved sanitation outcomes in rural settings. Conceptual Supply Chain Map Two hundred structured interviews were conducted with supply chain actors in seven provinces,...

February 21, 2014

By k4mediaMarket Development

Sanitation Finance

Sanitation Microfinance

Sanitation microfinance has the potential to sustainably improve access to sanitation. Previous studies have shown significant increases in latrine purchases and willingness to pay, when households had access to appropriate microfinance products. The microfinance sector in Cambodia is very well developed, with about eight large and over 30 smaller MFIs serving over 1.5 million borrowers – around 10% of the population. Their wide geographical distribution network offers significant scope to couple microfinance products with sanitation marketing efforts in order to increase...

February 21, 2014

By Matt van RoosmalenMarket Development

Export Market Access Fund

Many small to medium-size enterprises do not have the minimum economies of scale to be competitive and to increase exports, as they cannot afford to add additional demand on their limited cash flows. Further, this prevents them from planning long-term market strategies and making necessary up-front investments to develop their export potential. Consequently, producers often do not actively cultivate export markets. In response to this challenge, EMC was contracted by the Royal Government of Cambodia to implement The Export Market Access...

February 21, 2014

By tottenMarket Entry & Investment, Private Sector Development

Microinsurance Study

Increased access to diverse financial services can enable the poor and the vulnerable to devote more resources to their crops, develop protective measures against shocks, and gain access to markets, ultimately graduating from poverty. However despite the growing body of research on microinsurance globally, there is a relative lack of research on the microinsurance industry in Cambodia. Risk Ranking This report looks at essential elements of market suitability assessment for microinsurance, such as: Risk perception, product attribute preference, affordability and willingness and...

June 5, 2013

By Matt van RoosmalenMarket Development

Mekong Women’s Entrepreneurship Challenge (MWEC)

Ten Lao Women Entrepreneurs Win Business Challenge Over the years EMC has done a lot of work to support entrepreneurship development in Mekong Region. These include the Emerging Market Entrepreneur Incubator (EME), Export Market Access Fund (EMAF) and Mekong Women's Entrepreneurship Challenge (MWEC). MWEC finalists receive their awards EMC implemented MWEC across 3 countries - Cambodia, Lao and Vietnam. It intends to facilitate the expansion of female-owned business through a business competition for highly motivated women who own small to medium sized businesses and are eager to expand. Deputy Director General of the Lao PDR...

April 19, 2013

By tottenBusiness Consulting, Private Sector Development

Empowering Cambodia’s Rural Poor – EME’s Solar Incubatee

NRG Solutions is developing an innovative business model to provide affordable solar technology to the rural Cambodian market. EME is pleased to announce that NRG Solutions has been accepted into Stage Two of the incubation program. NRG Solutions is headed by Daniel Pacheco, who first came to Cambodia to oversee the installation of a solar system for a rural school, which he designed for a Cambodian NGO client while working with the Engineers Without Borders program (USA). Daniel researched other applications...

January 5, 2012

By tottenPrivate Sector Development