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To provide a practitioner focused discussion for enterprise development organizations (EDOs) who are seeking to incorporate principles of sustainability into their strategies.

Presents general principles that can be useful to EDOs who are trying to take on a more market development (sustainable) approach to enterprise development.

The principles can be applied to economic development projects that target small, medium or large enterprises. They apply to programs promoting agricultural, manufacturing, and services – and also have application in other sectors such as health, conservation, and education.

Provides leading insights into EDO strategies.

The purpose of this paper is to show some of the innovative ways loans are being disbursed to help microfinance institutions (MFIs) diversify their portfolios and reach a young and viable market. The paper attempt to highlight how MEDA/PTE's project in Egypt can contribute to the industry learning on microfinance (MF) and occupational hazards and young people.

The paper presents an Egyptian case study to present how financial products can impact social issues such as working children and at – risk youth.

The study finds that the young people market has been rarely researched in the MF sector. Children and youth like many other groups face a host of issues especially unemployed and poor ones. Program design has often focused on social interventions and keeping young people away from work and in the school system. Through a rights‐based approach, this project is learning that the young people are key actors in many micro enterprises as workers and in some cases as business owners themselves. The market is diverse and so are the needs of the children and youth who are involved. It is time to consider innovation in designing programs for young people. There are alternative learning techniques and skill development for young people in poor countries where school and social services do not meet their needs. Learning within actual workplaces can provide alternate educational opportunities for children provided the work is safe and age appropriate. Programs focused on young people and economic empowerment and job creation will assist many developing nations in stabilizing systems and supporting the productive human assets. The authors have found that despite the rhetoric for youth and employment, the youth arena has been neglected of practical and relevant research. MF industry can advance thinking for young people market. We are finding that MF may impact business owners to improve workplace conditions. Loans also contribute to increase learning, higher wages and lower work hours for young people who work.

Lack of current studies focused on young people and MF. Studies carried out are based on very small samples and vignettes. A recently completed study carried out by MEDA/PTE with financial support from CIDA shows MF impacts on children as workers and business owners but there is plenty of opportunity for increasing levels of research in this area.

This paper shares original case material from Egypt's project, to share lessons on the ground and design and implementation learnings. This paper will be of interest to youth serving organizations, MFIs, banks, child rights community, donors and governments with an interest in children and youth.

With the objective of trying to understand and assess the status of delivering business development services (BDS) and identifying the constraints, the Ethiopian Development Research Institute conducted a survey of randomly selected 974 MSEs (551 micro and 423 small enterprise operators) in 2003.

Random, anonymous survey of MSE operators in BDS in Ethiopia.

The results of the survey indicated that there were very limited BDS providers in the sector, which delivered limited services to few MSE operators (very low outreach). MSE operators had very limited vocational and technical training (before starting business), received few short‐term training, extension and counselling, and marketing services. The most important constraints were mainly related to access to markets and finance. Networks or associations in the MSE sector were not used as useful instruments to promote joint marketing. The results of the survey reveal that there is not significant difference based on size (micro and small) and gender in accessing BDS in the MSE sector. Addressing the constraints of delivering BDS requires clarity regarding the roles of facilitator and providers and the use of subsidies during the transition phase. The interventions should focus on delivering BDS on sustainable basis by responding to the needs in the market and providing incentives to the BDS providers, particularly the private sector.

Very few systematic studies of this nature have been carried out in developing countries. The paper offers clear implications for policymakers involved in economic development and poverty reduction.

The purpose of this paper is to present MEDA programs in small enterprise development – value chain and microfinance projects – to illustrate that the human capital of even hard to reach women can be harnessed for a community's and even a nation's economic growth.

The paper provides evidence, in the form of case studies, demonstrating that with a relatively low investment of resources, women are empowered to contribute to the growth of the small business sector which is a cornerstone of a robust private sector.

Working with disadvantaged populations that have been relegated to the bottom of the socio‐economic heap has challenges. Program design must overcome a host of constraints including illiteracy and innumeracy, lack of technical and business skills, and the psycho‐social consequences of generations of disenfranchisement. Yet, case after case has proven that these seemingly intractable obstacles diminish with appropriate project interventions. Whether or not the program “targets” or “mainstreams” women should be based on the context and an understanding of women's situation. MEDA has had varying degrees of success with these two approaches, and preliminary findings suggest that value chain projects derive greater benefit from targeted activities than do microfinance programs. The impact of business women's efforts extends well beyond their own businesses, to finance family enterprises, educate children, improve household nutrition, organize community groups, and build more equitable social structures. These “indirect” benefits of the economic empowerment of women will serve any nation committed to the growth of trade and commerce. In fact, some would argue, the authors included, that they are necessary conditions of sustainable wealth creation.

The paper presents original case material from a number of MEDA value chain and microfinance projects, both past and present, to illustrate the concept, and share project design and implementation learnings.

From a recently published letter addressed to a well‐known firm of whisky manufacturers by Mr. JOHN LETHIBY, Assistant Secretary to the Local Government Board, it is plain that the Board decline to entertain the suggestion that the Government should take steps to compel manufacturers of whisky to apply correct descriptions to their products. The adoption of this attitude by the Board might have been anticipated, but the grounds upon which the Board appear to have taken it up are not in reality such as will afford an adequate defence of their position, as the negative evidence given before the Select Committee on Food Products Adulteration and yielded by the reports of Public Analysts is beside the mark. The introduction of a governmental control of the nature suggested is not only undesirable but impracticable. It is undesirable because such a control must be compulsory and is bound to be unfair. It would be relegated to a Government Department, and of necessity, therefore, in the result it would be in the hands of an individual—the head of the Department—and subject entirely to the ideas and the unavoidable prejudices of one person. It is impracticable because no Government or Government Department could afford to take up a position involving the recommendation of particular products and the condemnation of others. No Government could take upon itself the onus of deciding questions of quality as distinguished from questions merely involving nature and substance. A system of control, in order to be effective and valuable alike to the public and the honest manufacturer, must be voluntary in its nature in so far as the manufacturer is concerned, and must be carried out by an independent and authoritative body entirely free from governmental trammels, and possessing full liberty to give or withhold its approbation or guarantee.

The Ministry of Health have issued a Circular (No. 2198, November 25th, 1940) reminding local authorities of the measures which can usually be taken to protect the public against the spread of the diseases commonly conveyed by food, i.e., diseases of the enteric group (typhoid and paratyphoid fevers), dysentery, food poisoning and intestinal parasitism. The Circular continues: One of the commonest causes of the spread of the enteric diseases is the contamination of food, including milk, by the hands of persons excreting the causal organisms of the disease, whether they are actually suffering from the disease, or are chronic carriers of the infection, or are persons temporarily excreting the causal organisms without themselves being ill. The Milk and Dairies Order, 1926, confers on medical officers of health in Articles 18 and 19 powers relating to infected milk supplies and to persons having access to the milk, milk vessels, etc., at registered premises whose employment may be likely to lead to the spread of infectious disease. It also requires generally under Article 15 that every person engaged in the milking of cows or the distribution or measuring of milk or otherwise having access to the milk or to the churns or other milk receptacles shall keep his clothing and person in a cleanly condition. Article 23 of the Order requires that in connection with the milking of cows the hands of the milker shall be thoroughly washed and dried before milking, and throughout the milking be kept free from contamination. With respect to food and drink in general, provision is made in Part III of the First Schedule to the Public Health (Infectious Diseases) Regulations, 1927, whereby on a report by the medical officer of health, the local authority can (1) in any case of enteric fever or dysentery occurring in the district by notice in writing require, in addition to other precautions, that the person specified in the notice shall discontinue any occupation connected with the preparation or handling of food or drink for human consumption and (2) require the medical examination by the medical officer of health or a medical officer acting on his behalf of a person suspected by the medical officer of health to be a carrier of enteric fever or dysentery infection who is employed in any trade or business connected with the preparation or handling of food or drink for human consumption, and can suspend such person from his employment for a specified period if as a result of the examination or from bacteriological or protozoological examination of material obtained at any such examination, of material obtained at any such examination, the medical officer of health is of opinion that the person is such a carrier. Apart, however, from conditions which can be dealt with by the temporary discontinuance of work by persons actually suffering from the disease or found to be carriers of it, experience shows that outbreaks of disease of the enteric group and of food poisoning are not uncommonly caused, or their range extended, by the handling of food by persons who have not previously been suspected to be suffering from or carrying disease, and the Minister is advised that a substantial number of consequential cases could be avoided if all persons engaged in the preparation or handling of food intended for sale were habitually to take the elementary precautions required by law. The relevant statutory provisions as regards food other than milk are those contained in Section 13 (1) of the Food and Drugs Act, 1938, which read as follows :—

By contributing to the burgeoning debate regarding “for what” nonprofit organizations should be accountable, this article aims to develop and present an Integrated Accountability Model (IAM) that considers three dimensions of accountability.

After highlighting the limits of conventional accounting for NPOs and reframing the role of profit within them, the article presents a complete literature review on “to whom” and “for what” NPOs have to be accountable while further developing the IAM of integrated accountability.

The integrated accountability model developed in this article proposes three categories of NPO accountability: (i) the economic and financial dimension or the capability/ability to be economically sustainable in the long term; (ii) the mission-related dimension or the raison d’être of an NPO, that is, the purpose for which the NPO has been set up, its mission; and (iii) the social-related dimension or the relationship with the stakeholders, that is the impact of NPO activities on its stakeholders in terms of the social contract between them.

Broadly, this article makes a contribution to the literature on accountability for NPOs. In particular it sheds light on two points: the importance of separating the mission-related dimension from the social-related one and the potential to open avenues for expansion of the IAM model to for-profit organizations.

Aarhus Kommunes Biblioteker (Teknisk Bibliotek), Ingerslevs Plads 7, Aarhus, Denmark. Representative: V. NEDERGAARD PEDERSEN (Librarian).