Publications

Women make up almost half of Kenya’s labour force, yet they remain on the margins of business ownership – only 9% of Kenya’s firms are majority women-owned.

Being a women-owned company negatively affects the credibility of their business, say Indonesian women entrepreneurs in the services sector.

This first ITC e-commerce survey provides valuable insights that will allow countries to shape policies and practices that address the real business needs on the ground. To ensure that micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) can benefit from e-commerce, they need better access to...

What keeps small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Ghana from being competitive in international markets is often not of their own making, such as unreliable electricity and high interest rates.

Trade promotion pays - both in export and GDP growth, according to this ITC report. The way trade promotion agencies are managed also changes their impact on a country’s prosperity.For every dollar of export promotion invested in a national trade promotion organization (TPO), there are $87 of...

Businesses can extend their reach in regional and global markets by understanding how to make the most of the WTO Trade Facilitation Agreement.

The SME Competitiveness Outlook argues that small and medium-sized firms are the ‘missing link’ to inclusive growth.

Greater access to information about export opportunities is essential for determining SME export success.SMEs which participate in international trade are more productive than those which do not. Integration into global and regional markets is thus likely to help close the productivity gap between...

This case study of a Chinese solar panel producer investigates the role of services in manufacturing value chains, and highlights the effect of government policies on photovoltaic industry development and international trade flows. Up to 40 types of services are required to manufacture solar panels,...

Deeper regional integration goes hand in hand with strengthening processing industries and the internationalization of SMEs.Trade integration within and among regions of African, Caribbean and Pacific Island groups are measured in this study. Regions with the fastest trade integration over the last...

A survey of 600 exporters and importers in Tunisia shows that 80% face difficulties with non-tariff measures, which generate extra costs for companies. Tunisian firms face barriers such as burdensome conformity assessment procedures, quotas and complicated rules of origin. There are also procedural...

To be part of value chains dominated by large global players, small and medium-sized enterprises need a sound business environment, ready access to finance, and institutional support to reach new markets and to defend their interests.