In light of President Oscar Arias’ challenge for Costa Rica to triple its exports to $18 billion annually by 2010, the Chamber of Industries recently announced plans to help businesses achieve this goal.
The chamber launched a program to “internationalize” businesses by helping them “improve critical aspects related to increasing sales on the foreign market,” according to a statement.
This means assisting exporters boost their sales and helping small and medium businesses to grow into exporters, chamber president Jack Liberman explained.
Reaching Arias’ export goal requires promoting education, adopting cutting edge technology and improving ports, airports and roads, Liberman said, adding that academic, private and government sectors are involved in the program.
“We must seek to create sources of innovation and train leaders in skills such as English and technology,” Liberman said. “We can then convert this knowledge into prosperity.”
The program offers assistance to its 650 member businesses in evaluating their operations to determine export potential, identifying new market opportunities, managing their portfolios, improving production capability, setting prices according to international markets and monitoring quality standards, the statement said.
