Small and Medium Enterprises: Issues, Challenges and Solutions

Small and medium enterprises (SMEs) are defined as non-subsidiary, independent firms which employ less than a given number of employees, which varies from one country to another. They play an instrumental role in the economic growth of a country because they generate a number of new jobs. The potential contribution of smaller firms is enhanced with the advancement in technologies and globalization. SME's are more flexible and responsive to customer needs than large scale organizations because they can easily combine resources and share the costs of training, research and marketing. They also deal with several problems which require government policy intervention. These challenges include lack of financing, difficulties in exploiting technology, constrained managerial capabilities, low productivity, and regulatory burdens. In order to address these challenges, it is essential to foster public-private partnerships. This book contains significant issues, challenges and solutions related to small and medium enterprises. The readers would gain knowledge that would broaden their perspective about this topic.