Foreword
The SME and Entrepreneurship Outlook is a biannual flagship publication produced jointly by the OECD Centre for Entrepreneurship, SMEs, Regions and Cities (CFE), led by Lamia Kamal-Chaoui, and the OECD Statistics and Data Directorate (SDD), led by Paul Schreyer. The report was prepared under the aegis of the OECD Committee on SMEs and Entrepreneurship (CSMEE).
The first edition, released in 2019, provided comparative evidence on business dynamics, productivity growth, wage gaps and export trends, as well as a comprehensive overview of SME&E business conditions and policy frameworks. In 2021, the second edition focused entirely on the impact of the COVID-19 crisis on SMEs and entrepreneurs and related policy responses. This third edition of the report resumes the series by providing a post-pandemic perspective on the structure and performance of the SME and Entrepreneurship (SME&E) sector, recent shifts in SME&E business conditions, and related policy developments, offering guidance to governments on how to build SME resilience to future crises.
Sandrine Kergroach (Head of the SME and Entrepreneurship Performance, Policies and Mainstreaming Unit, CFE) coordinated the production of the 2023 edition under the overall supervision of Céline Kauffmann (Head of the Entrepreneurship, SME and Tourism Division, CFE), Annabelle Mourougane (Head of the Trade and Productivity Statistics Division, SDD), Nadim Ahmad (Deputy Director, CFE) and Asa Johansson (Deputy Director, SDD).
Chapter 1, “Recent SME Developments and Forthcoming Challenges”, was prepared by Annabelle Mourougane, Gueram Sargsyan (SDD) and Sandrine Kergroach, with input from Marco Marchese (CFE). Thanks to Lucia Cusmano, Miriam Koreen and Maria Camila Jiménez Suárez for their comments (all CFE).
Chapter 2, “The Role of Networks for SME Innovation, Resilience and Sustainability”, was prepared by Sandrine Kergroach with inputs from Chiara Petroli and Lora Pissareva (CFE). Thanks to Mario Cervantes (OECD Directorate for Science, Technology and Innovation, STI) for providing comments.
Chapter 3, “Women-led Firms in International Trade”, was prepared by Jane Korinek (OECD Trade and Agriculture Directorate, TAD), Annabelle Mourougane and Elisabeth Van Lieshout (TAD), and benefited from comments by the OECD Working Party of the Trade Committee. Thanks to David Halabisky and Bruno De Menna (CFE) for their inputs, and to Julia Nielson (TAD) for providing comments.
Chapter 4, “SMEs in more Resilient, Sustainable and Circular Supply Chains”, was prepared by Sandrine Kergroach, with input from Milenko Fadic, Chiara Petroli and Juan Felipe Rodrigo Lopez (all CFE). It benefited from comments from Jane Korinek and Sébastien Miroudot (TAD), and Stratos Kamenis and Martin Wermelinger of the OECD Directorate for Financial and Enterprise Affairs (DAF).
Chapter 5, “Knowledge and Innovation Networks for SMEs and Start-Ups”, was prepared by Sandrine Kergroach, Lora Pissareva and Jonathan Potter, with input from Madison Lucas, Juan Felipe Rodrigo Lopez, Pablo Shah, and Ekaterina Travkina (all CFE). Thanks to Marco Bianchini (CFE) for his comments.
Chapter 6, “The Role of SME Ecosystems in Upskilling, Reskilling and Finding Talent”, was prepared by Lucia Cusmano and Raffaele Trapasso, with inputs from Lukas Kleine-Rueschkamp, Insung Kwon and Giorgia Ponti (all CFE). Thanks to Luca Marcolin (OECD Economics Department, ECO) for providing comments.
The country profiles were designed by Sandrine Kergroach and Annabelle Mourougane. Milenko Fadic coordinated the production and review process, jointly with Sergio Montoya (CFE). Thanks to Perla Ibarlucea Flores (DAF) and Gueram Sargsyan (SDD) for statistical input.
Bruno De Menna (CFE) assisted with the coordination of the overall publication. Oualid Mokhantar, Sergio Montoya and Juan Felipe Rodrigo Lopez (CFE) carried out policy mappings and research work.
Thanks also to Marion Jansen (Director, TAD), Lamia Kamal-Chaoui (Director, CFE) and Paul Schreyer (Director, SDD) for commenting on the publication at different stages of its development.
The publication process was managed by CFE. François Iglesias designed the cover and Pilar Philip served as coordinator. Heather Mortimer-Charoy provided project and secretariat assistance.
This report was developed as part of the Programme of Work and Budget of the OECD Committee on SMEs and Entrepreneurship (CSMEE) and the OECD Statistics and Data Directorate (SDD). The final report was approved by written procedure on 31 May 2023.