What is SHAPE?

SHAPE is a comprehensive technical assistance platform to support the design of sector development strategies and organise their implementation to improve trade performance and enterprise competitiveness. It can be applied to any product or services sector and can be delivered in any language. SHAPE is suitable for groups of up to 80 participants at one time.

How does it work?

SHAPE focuses on bringing together sector stakeholders in a pro-active and efficient way to determine what has to be improved in businesses and the enabling environment and how, so that producers and exporters can respond competitively to the challenges of new markets and contribute to economic growth and social development.

In a series of practical workshops, co-facilitated by ITC and a country counterpart, stakeholders from each stage of a sector, support service providers, government and development agencies:

• Analyse the opportunities, requirements and challenges of potential markets

• Diagnose capacity and performance constraints of each stage of a sector’s value chains in relation to market and buyer requirements

• Design and prioritise activities and policy changes to improve business responses to market opportunities including resource needs, progress and performance measures

• Determine development objectives and design projects with potential implementing partners, investors and resource providers

• Finalise the outputs into a strategy, organise the activities and resources required to implement the strategy and monitor progress towards achieving strategic objectives

SHAPE mobilises stakeholders to plan complementary development activities and policy changes so that they are aligned to business and social development objectives. A number of sectors can be addressed at the same time with results consolidated to improve crosscutting services and shape government and regional policy.

How long does it take?

Approximately 4-6 months of elapsed time to prepare the information, assess markets, deliver each of the 2-day workshops, examine options, finalise a strategy and agree an implementation framework.

How is it delivered?

SHAPE is hosted by a counterpart trade or business support organisation or government agency and should be sponsored by at least one government ministry. A small sector team linked to the counterpart organisation manage day-to-day in country work. ITC specialists train and coach the counterpart and sector team through every step of the process, assisting with preparations, co-facilitating workshops, providing market information, technical materials and organisational support as required. Counterparts have access to ITC’s networks, seminars and distance support facilities to reinforce the process.

SHAPE has been applied successfully in many countries and diverse sectors in Asia, Africa and Latin America. The key ingredients for success are high-level and consistent sponsorship, motivation and engagement for change on the part of government agencies, the business community and trade support organisations.
 

The package includes: The SHAPE handbook, consultation and briefing, 2 workshops supported by ITC sector and process specialists, distance process coaching through a support helpdesk throughout every step of the process and access to sector information. The handbook is supported by a CD-ROM comprising templates, checklists, examples and delivery tips and access for up to one year to the process helpdesk and global strategy developers’ network at ITC, data backup and examples from other sectors.