This case study was commissioned by the ILO Job Creation and Enterprise Development Department with co-financing of the ILO Human Resource Development Department for the purpose of a staff learning event that took place in Geneva in November 2009.

This is a case study that allows a concrete overview of the Market Development approach for the promotion of enterprises in Sri Lanka. It elaborates a clear strategic framework on local enterprises for achieving systematic change. It shows the importance of understanding markets and value chains, the causes of constraints and the dangers of being tool led. It encourages self sustainability and facilitative rationale instead of an interventionist rationale. This case study focuses on the following immediate objectives: market access, business environment, enterprise culture and business development services.