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Major Challenges Facing Small and Medium-sized Enterprises in Asia and Solutions for Mitigating Them

Author

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  • Yoshino, Naoyuki

    (Asian Development Bank Institute)

  • Taghizadeh-Hesary, Farhad

    (Asian Development Bank Institute)

Abstract

Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are the backbone of the Asian economy. They make up more than 98% of all Asian businesses that provide two out of three private sector jobs in the region. Therefore, it is vitally important for Asia’s economic success to have fully functioning support measures for SMEs. However, SMEs face challenges from limited access to finance, lack of databases, low R&D expenditures, undeveloped sales channels, and low levels of financial inclusion, which are some of the reasons behind the slow growth of SMEs. This paper focuses on four major reasons that slowed the SME growth in Asia including i) lack of finance, ii) lack of comprehensive databases, iii) low level of R&D expenditures, and iv) insufficient use of information technology and provides remedies for mitigating them.

Suggested Citation

  • Yoshino, Naoyuki & Taghizadeh-Hesary, Farhad, 2016. "Major Challenges Facing Small and Medium-sized Enterprises in Asia and Solutions for Mitigating Them," ADBI Working Papers 564, Asian Development Bank Institute.
    • Handle: RePEc:ris:adbiwp:0564
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    3. Jamil Paolo Francisco & Tristan Canare & Jean Rebecca Labios, 2018. "Obstacles and Enablers of Internationalization of Philippine SMEs Through Participation in Global Value Chains," Working Papers id:12905, eSocialSciences.
    4. Muhammad Jawad Iqbal & Hafiz Muhammad Usman Khizar, 2022. "The Epistemology of Entrepreneurial Responsible Orientation (ERO): Theory, Conceptualization, and Future Research," SAGE Open, , vol. 12(2), pages 21582440221, April.
    5. Pranith Kumar Roy & Krishnendu Shaw, 2021. "A multicriteria credit scoring model for SMEs using hybrid BWM and TOPSIS," Financial Innovation, Springer;Southwestern University of Finance and Economics, vol. 7(1), pages 1-27, December.
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    7. Azzah Al-Maskari & Majed Al-Maskari & Mansoor Alqanoobi & Siraj Kunjumuhammed, 2019. "Internal and external obstacles facing medium and large enterprises in Rusayl Industrial Estates in the Sultanate of Oman," Journal of Global Entrepreneurship Research, Springer;UNESCO Chair in Entrepreneurship, vol. 9(1), pages 1-20, December.
    8. Martin Mwila & Luka Ngoyi, 2019. "The use of ict by sme’s in Zambia to access business information services and investments: barriers and drivers," Journal of Global Entrepreneurship Research, Springer;UNESCO Chair in Entrepreneurship, vol. 9(1), pages 1-16, December.
    9. Daisy Lily Moscare-Balanquit, 2021. "Examining the Contribution of Valuable and Rare Resources and Capabilities to Performance of Micro Enterprises," International Review of Management and Marketing, Econjournals, vol. 11(3), pages 22-29.
    10. Roxana Leitold & Javier Revilla Diez & Van Tran, 2020. "Are we expecting too much from the private sector in flood adaptation? Scenario-based field experiments with small- and medium-sized firms in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam," Climatic Change, Springer, vol. 163(1), pages 359-378, November.
    11. María del Carmen Valls Martínez & Pedro Antonio Martín-Cervantes & Sandra Peña Rodríguez, 2021. "Ethical Banking and Poverty Alleviation Banking: The Two Sides of the Same Solidary Coin," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(21), pages 1-22, October.
    12. Clavis Nwehfor Fubah & Menisha Moos, 2022. "Exploring COVID-19 Challenges and Coping Mechanisms for SMEs in the South African Entrepreneurial Ecosystem," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(4), pages 1-20, February.
    13. Wang, Xiaodong & Han, Liang & Huang, Xing, 2020. "Bank competition, concentration and EU SME cost of debt," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 71(C).
    14. Broccardo, Laura & Tenucci, Andrea & Agarwal, Reeti & Alshibani, Safiya Mukhtar, 2024. "Steering digitalization and management control maturity in small and medium enterprises (SMEs)," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 204(C).

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    SME databases; financial inclusion; SME investment; R&D expenditure;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • G21 - Financial Economics - - Financial Institutions and Services - - - Banks; Other Depository Institutions; Micro Finance Institutions; Mortgages
    • G24 - Financial Economics - - Financial Institutions and Services - - - Investment Banking; Venture Capital; Brokerage
    • G32 - Financial Economics - - Corporate Finance and Governance - - - Financing Policy; Financial Risk and Risk Management; Capital and Ownership Structure; Value of Firms; Goodwill

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