Small scale enterprise and sustainable development: Key issues and policy opportunities to improve impact

Small and medium enterprises (SMEs) often account for the majority of firms and a substantial proportion of employment in both developing and developed countries. This paper argues that there are good reasons for preferential support towards small scale – irrespective of whether one’s starting point in sceptical or pragmatic or strongly enthusiastic towards SMEs. There are many potential advantages and disadvantages to small scale in achieving broad sense well-being which this paper assumes to be the main aim of development. Three areas of further multi-disciplinary action are held out as useful entry points to improving the impacts of SMEs.