Small business

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Chapter 9.
THE PRESENT POSITION OF THE SME SECTOR 
Objective: To set out the present position of the SME sector. This covers the key areas identified under the
strategic review - see Part 1.
Where information (from any reliable public of private sector source, including panels of entrepreneurs
and focus groups) allows, this chapter will comment on:
• The state of, and trends in, the sector, including:
- Measures of the development of the enterprise culture taken from regular sample survey data;
- Start up and survival rates of small businesses in the relevant period, overall and by sector and
area where possible and relevant;
- Growth of existing small firms, overall and by sector and region where possible and relevant;
- Development of stakeholder capacity taken from regular sample survey data of key institutions;
- Achievements against  official targets for the sector.
• Particular current problems and opportunities of the sector needing more detailed discussion. This
might cover SME views of: the business climate; market prospects; sources of major
uncertainty/shortages; barriers to growth; development intentions and planned investments; external
trade prospects; and access to resources. Such data is best collected on a regular basis using a
consistent sampling frame (see Annex 5).
• Current regulation/legislation problem areas. This might cover such key areas as registration, licensing,
tax and contract lax, but also any area of current legislative concern where overtures have been made
by organisations representing business. Such data can be collected by use of panels and focus groups
of entrepreneurs meeting every quarter as well as through the more established representative
channels.
EFFECTIVE POLICIES FOR SMALL BUSINESS - © OECD 2004
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Chapter 10.