Understanding SME heterogeneity: Towards policy relevant typologies for SMEs and entrepreneurship: An OECD Strategy for SMEs and Entrepreneurship by Stephan Raes published by OECD (2021).
“SMEs are defined by what they have in common, which is their relatively smaller size in relation to other businesses, as measured by employment, turnover, value of assets, or other metrics. The smaller size may lead to greater agility, but may also affect their access to resources or may hamper the playing field in which they operate vis-à-vis larger entities. Although many SMEs share these size-related advantages or challenges, it is at least as important to consider that SMEs and entrepreneurs are very different and diverse in terms of organisation, behaviour and performance. There are differences between micro, small and medium sized firms. Differences between sectors and technology areas. And differences between various types and backgrounds of entrepreneurs…”
OECD SME and Entrepreneurship Strategy published by OECD (2021)
“The OECD Committee on SMEs and Entrepreneurship is developing principles for effective, efficient and coherent SME and entrepreneurship policies. Join the public consultation to make policy work better for entrepreneurs and SMEs.
What’s the issue?
SMEs and entrepreneurs constitute the backbone of economies in OECD countries and beyond. They are front and centre to ensure strength and quality of the post-COVID19 recovery and that the pathway to grow is sustainable, cleaner and more inclusive. However, SMEs and entrepreneurs often face specific challenges in their growth and access to resources, and in adapting to major transitions. The policies to support them range from framework conditions, generic measures to support the business population to more targeted measures for SMEs and entrepreneurs. As such, often a wide number of Ministries and agencies across government at both central and subnational level are involved. This makes SME and entrepreneurship a complex domain to deliver effective, efficient and coherent policies.
In 2019, the OECD set out on an ambitious journey to develop an SME and Entrepreneurship Strategy. Like other Strategies the OECD has developed, such as on innovation, skills and green growth, the OECD SME and Entrepreneurship Strategy aims to provide an evidence-based and holistic framework to support countries in developing coherent, effective and efficient SME and entrepreneurship policies. This ambition reflects the widely acknowledged importance of SMEs and entrepreneurs for inclusive and sustainable growth, and the need to ensure an effective cross-cutting policy approach towards SMEs and entrepreneurs in light of the many policies and government levels engaged. The COVID-19 pandemic, which strongly affected SMEs and entrepreneurs world-wide and triggered unprecedented government action, made the ambitions of the Strategy even more important and urgent…”
