Small and Medium Enterprises, Growth, and Poverty : Cross-Country Evidence

The authors explore the relationship between the relative size of the small and medium enterprise (SME) sector, economic growth, and poverty using a new database on the share of SME labor in the total manufacturing labor force. Using a sample of 76...

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Main Authors: Beck, Thorsten, Demirgüç-Kunt, Asli, Levine, Ross
Format: Policy Research Working Paper
Language:English
en_US
Published: World Bank, Washington, DC 2014
Subjects:
SME
Online Access:http://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/2003/12/2862536/small-medium-enterprises-growth-poverty-cross-country-evidence
http://hdl.handle.net/10986/17742
id okr-10986-17742
recordtype oai_dc
repository_type Digital Repository
institution_category Foreign Institution
institution Digital Repositories
building World Bank Open Knowledge Repository
collection World Bank
language English
en_US
topic SMALL & MEDIUM SCALE ENTERPRISES
MANUFACTURING ENTERPRISES
ECONOMIC GROWTH
GROSS DOMESTIC PRODUCT
POVERTY REDUCTION
BUSINESS ENVIRONMENT
PROPERTY RIGHTS
CONTRACT ENFORCEMENT ACCOUNTABILITY
AGGREGATE INDEXES
AGGREGATE INDICATOR
ANNUAL GROWTH
ANNUAL GROWTH RATE
AVERAGE GROWTH
AVERAGE GROWTH RATE
BLACK MARKET
BLACK MARKET EXCHANGE RATE
BLACK MARKET EXCHANGE RATE PREMIUM
BLACK MARKET PREMIUM
BUSINESS CLIMATE
BUSINESS CYCLE
BUSINESS CYCLE PHENOMENA
BUSINESS ENVIRONMENT
BUSINESS ENVIRONMENT INDEX
BUSINESS ENVIRONMENT INDICATORS
BUSINESS ENVIRONMENT INFLUENCE
BUSINESS ENVIRONMENT VIEW
BUSINESS TRANSACTIONS
CAUSAL IMPACT
CIVIL LAW
COMMERCIAL CONTRACTING
COMMERCIAL EXPERIENCE
COMMON LAW
COMPARATIVE ADVANTAGE
COMPETITIVE ENVIRONMENT
COMPETITIVENESS ENVIRONMENT
CONTRACT ENFORCEMENT
CORPORATE FINANCE
CORRUPTION
COST OF CONTRACT ENFORCEMENT
COST OF CONTRACT ENFORCEMENT MEASURES
COUNTRY CHARACTERISTICS
COUNTRY DATA
COUNTRY REGRESSIONS
CREDIT MARKETS
CRIME
CRISES
CROSS- COUNTRY ANALYSIS
DEPENDENT VARIABLE
DESCRIPTIVE STATISTICS
DEVELOPED COUNTRIES
DEVELOPING COUNTRIES
DEVELOPING COUNTRY
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
ECONOMIC GROWTH
EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT
EMPIRICAL EVIDENCE
EMPIRICAL RESULTS
EMPLOYMENT
ENFORCEABILITY
ENTREPRENEURSHIP
ENTRY BARRIERS
ERROR TERM
EXIT BARRIERS
EXPANSION
EXPORT TRADERS
FINANCIAL CONSTRAINTS
FINANCIAL DEVELOPMENT
FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS
FINANCIAL INTERMEDIARY CREDIT
FINANCIAL MARKET
FINANCIAL SECTOR
FINANCIAL SUPPORT
FIRM SIZE
GOVERNMENT BUREAUCRACY
GOVERNMENT CONSUMPTION
GOVERNMENT CONSUMPTION EXPENDITURES
GOVERNMENT POLICIES
GOVERNMENT SUBSIDIZATION
GOVERNMENT SUPPORT
GOVERNMENT-BUSINESS COORDINATION
GROWTH DETERMINANTS
GROWTH RATE
GROWTH RATES
GROWTH REGRESSIONS
HOUSEHOLD SURVEYS
HUMAN CAPITAL
HUMAN CAPITAL ACCUMULATION
INCOME
INCOME GROWTH
INCOME QUINTILE
INCREASE GROWTH
INDIVIDUAL COUNTRIES
INDUSTRIAL COMPOSITION
INDUSTRIAL ORGANIZATION
INDUSTRIAL ORGANIZATION LITERATURE
INDUSTRIAL ORGANIZATION THEORIES
INDUSTRY-LEVEL STUDIES
INFLATION RATE
INFORMAL ACTIVITY
INFORMAL ECONOMY
INFORMAL ENTERPRISES
INFORMAL ENTREPRENEURS
INFORMAL LABOR FORCE
INFORMAL SECTOR
INFORMAL SOURCES OF FINANCE
INSTITUTIONAL ENVIRONMENT
INTERNATIONAL AID
INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY
INTERNATIONAL TRADE
JOB CREATION
LABOR ABUNDANCE
LABOR FORCE
LABOR INTENSITY
LABOR MARKET
LARGE ENTERPRISES
LEGAL ORIGIN
LEGAL SYSTEMS
LONG-RUN GROWTH
MARKET STRUCTURE
MARKET TRANSACTION
MARKET TRANSACTION COSTS
MARKET TRANSACTIONS COSTS
MARKET VALUE OF OUTPUT
MEDIUM SIZE ENTERPRISES
MEDIUM- SIZE
NATIONAL POLICIES
NATIONAL POVERTY LINE
0 HYPOTHESIS
ORGANIZED CRIME
PATENT PROTECTION
PER CAPITA INCOME
POLICY IMPLICATIONS
POLICY RESEARCH
POLICY VARIABLES
POLITICAL STABILITY
POLITICAL SUPPORT
POLITICAL SYSTEM
POVERTY ALLEVIATION
POVERTY ALLEVIATION TOOL
POVERTY GAP
POVERTY INDICATORS
POVERTY LINE
POVERTY REDUCTION
POVERTY REDUCTIONS
POVERTY REGRESSIONS
PRIVATE COMMERCIAL TRANSACTIONS
PRIVATE PROPERTY
PRIVATE SECTOR
PRIVATE SECTOR TRANSACTIONS
PRODUCTION FUNCTION
PRODUCTION OF GOODS
PRODUCTIVITY GROWTH
PRODUCTIVITY PER CAPITA GROWTH
PRODUCTIVITY STUDIES
PROPERTY RIGHTS
REGULATORY ENFORCEMENT
RELATIVE IMPORTANCE
RULE OF LAW
SIGNIFICANT CORRELATION
SIZE OF FIRMS
SMALL AND MEDIUM ENTERPRISE
SMALL AND MEDIUM ENTERPRISES
SMALL FIRMS
SMALL MANUFACTURERS
SME
SME CLUSTERS
SME DEVELOPMENT
SME EMPLOYMENT
SME POLICIES
SME POLICY
SME SECTOR
SME SUPPORT PROGRAMS
SMES
SOUND BUSINESS ENVIRONMENT
SOUND CONTRACT ENFORCEMENT
TAXATION
TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE
TRANSITION ECONOMIES
spellingShingle SMALL & MEDIUM SCALE ENTERPRISES
MANUFACTURING ENTERPRISES
ECONOMIC GROWTH
GROSS DOMESTIC PRODUCT
POVERTY REDUCTION
BUSINESS ENVIRONMENT
PROPERTY RIGHTS
CONTRACT ENFORCEMENT ACCOUNTABILITY
AGGREGATE INDEXES
AGGREGATE INDICATOR
ANNUAL GROWTH
ANNUAL GROWTH RATE
AVERAGE GROWTH
AVERAGE GROWTH RATE
BLACK MARKET
BLACK MARKET EXCHANGE RATE
BLACK MARKET EXCHANGE RATE PREMIUM
BLACK MARKET PREMIUM
BUSINESS CLIMATE
BUSINESS CYCLE
BUSINESS CYCLE PHENOMENA
BUSINESS ENVIRONMENT
BUSINESS ENVIRONMENT INDEX
BUSINESS ENVIRONMENT INDICATORS
BUSINESS ENVIRONMENT INFLUENCE
BUSINESS ENVIRONMENT VIEW
BUSINESS TRANSACTIONS
CAUSAL IMPACT
CIVIL LAW
COMMERCIAL CONTRACTING
COMMERCIAL EXPERIENCE
COMMON LAW
COMPARATIVE ADVANTAGE
COMPETITIVE ENVIRONMENT
COMPETITIVENESS ENVIRONMENT
CONTRACT ENFORCEMENT
CORPORATE FINANCE
CORRUPTION
COST OF CONTRACT ENFORCEMENT
COST OF CONTRACT ENFORCEMENT MEASURES
COUNTRY CHARACTERISTICS
COUNTRY DATA
COUNTRY REGRESSIONS
CREDIT MARKETS
CRIME
CRISES
CROSS- COUNTRY ANALYSIS
DEPENDENT VARIABLE
DESCRIPTIVE STATISTICS
DEVELOPED COUNTRIES
DEVELOPING COUNTRIES
DEVELOPING COUNTRY
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
ECONOMIC GROWTH
EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT
EMPIRICAL EVIDENCE
EMPIRICAL RESULTS
EMPLOYMENT
ENFORCEABILITY
ENTREPRENEURSHIP
ENTRY BARRIERS
ERROR TERM
EXIT BARRIERS
EXPANSION
EXPORT TRADERS
FINANCIAL CONSTRAINTS
FINANCIAL DEVELOPMENT
FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS
FINANCIAL INTERMEDIARY CREDIT
FINANCIAL MARKET
FINANCIAL SECTOR
FINANCIAL SUPPORT
FIRM SIZE
GOVERNMENT BUREAUCRACY
GOVERNMENT CONSUMPTION
GOVERNMENT CONSUMPTION EXPENDITURES
GOVERNMENT POLICIES
GOVERNMENT SUBSIDIZATION
GOVERNMENT SUPPORT
GOVERNMENT-BUSINESS COORDINATION
GROWTH DETERMINANTS
GROWTH RATE
GROWTH RATES
GROWTH REGRESSIONS
HOUSEHOLD SURVEYS
HUMAN CAPITAL
HUMAN CAPITAL ACCUMULATION
INCOME
INCOME GROWTH
INCOME QUINTILE
INCREASE GROWTH
INDIVIDUAL COUNTRIES
INDUSTRIAL COMPOSITION
INDUSTRIAL ORGANIZATION
INDUSTRIAL ORGANIZATION LITERATURE
INDUSTRIAL ORGANIZATION THEORIES
INDUSTRY-LEVEL STUDIES
INFLATION RATE
INFORMAL ACTIVITY
INFORMAL ECONOMY
INFORMAL ENTERPRISES
INFORMAL ENTREPRENEURS
INFORMAL LABOR FORCE
INFORMAL SECTOR
INFORMAL SOURCES OF FINANCE
INSTITUTIONAL ENVIRONMENT
INTERNATIONAL AID
INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY
INTERNATIONAL TRADE
JOB CREATION
LABOR ABUNDANCE
LABOR FORCE
LABOR INTENSITY
LABOR MARKET
LARGE ENTERPRISES
LEGAL ORIGIN
LEGAL SYSTEMS
LONG-RUN GROWTH
MARKET STRUCTURE
MARKET TRANSACTION
MARKET TRANSACTION COSTS
MARKET TRANSACTIONS COSTS
MARKET VALUE OF OUTPUT
MEDIUM SIZE ENTERPRISES
MEDIUM- SIZE
NATIONAL POLICIES
NATIONAL POVERTY LINE
0 HYPOTHESIS
ORGANIZED CRIME
PATENT PROTECTION
PER CAPITA INCOME
POLICY IMPLICATIONS
POLICY RESEARCH
POLICY VARIABLES
POLITICAL STABILITY
POLITICAL SUPPORT
POLITICAL SYSTEM
POVERTY ALLEVIATION
POVERTY ALLEVIATION TOOL
POVERTY GAP
POVERTY INDICATORS
POVERTY LINE
POVERTY REDUCTION
POVERTY REDUCTIONS
POVERTY REGRESSIONS
PRIVATE COMMERCIAL TRANSACTIONS
PRIVATE PROPERTY
PRIVATE SECTOR
PRIVATE SECTOR TRANSACTIONS
PRODUCTION FUNCTION
PRODUCTION OF GOODS
PRODUCTIVITY GROWTH
PRODUCTIVITY PER CAPITA GROWTH
PRODUCTIVITY STUDIES
PROPERTY RIGHTS
REGULATORY ENFORCEMENT
RELATIVE IMPORTANCE
RULE OF LAW
SIGNIFICANT CORRELATION
SIZE OF FIRMS
SMALL AND MEDIUM ENTERPRISE
SMALL AND MEDIUM ENTERPRISES
SMALL FIRMS
SMALL MANUFACTURERS
SME
SME CLUSTERS
SME DEVELOPMENT
SME EMPLOYMENT
SME POLICIES
SME POLICY
SME SECTOR
SME SUPPORT PROGRAMS
SMES
SOUND BUSINESS ENVIRONMENT
SOUND CONTRACT ENFORCEMENT
TAXATION
TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE
TRANSITION ECONOMIES
Beck, Thorsten
Demirgüç-Kunt, Asli
Levine, Ross
Small and Medium Enterprises, Growth, and Poverty : Cross-Country Evidence
relation Policy Research Working Paper;No. 3178
description The authors explore the relationship between the relative size of the small and medium enterprise (SME) sector, economic growth, and poverty using a new database on the share of SME labor in the total manufacturing labor force. Using a sample of 76 countries, they find a strong association between the importance of SMEs and GDP per capita growth. This relationship, however, is not robust to controlling for simultaneity bias. So, while a large SME sector is characteristic of successful economies, the data fail to support the hypothesis that SMEs exert a causal impact on growth. Furthermore, the authors find no evidence that SMEs reduce poverty. Finally, they find qualified evidence that the overall business environment facing both large and small firms-as measured by the ease of firm entry and exit, sound property rights, and contract enforcement-influences economic growth.
format Publications & Research :: Policy Research Working Paper
author Beck, Thorsten
Demirgüç-Kunt, Asli
Levine, Ross
author_facet Beck, Thorsten
Demirgüç-Kunt, Asli
Levine, Ross
author_sort Beck, Thorsten
title Small and Medium Enterprises, Growth, and Poverty : Cross-Country Evidence
title_short Small and Medium Enterprises, Growth, and Poverty : Cross-Country Evidence
title_full Small and Medium Enterprises, Growth, and Poverty : Cross-Country Evidence
title_fullStr Small and Medium Enterprises, Growth, and Poverty : Cross-Country Evidence
title_full_unstemmed Small and Medium Enterprises, Growth, and Poverty : Cross-Country Evidence
title_sort small and medium enterprises, growth, and poverty : cross-country evidence
publisher World Bank, Washington, DC
publishDate 2014
url http://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/2003/12/2862536/small-medium-enterprises-growth-poverty-cross-country-evidence
http://hdl.handle.net/10986/17742
_version_ 1764437078591930368
spelling okr-10986-177422021-04-23T14:03:37Z Small and Medium Enterprises, Growth, and Poverty : Cross-Country Evidence Beck, Thorsten Demirgüç-Kunt, Asli Levine, Ross SMALL & MEDIUM SCALE ENTERPRISES MANUFACTURING ENTERPRISES ECONOMIC GROWTH GROSS DOMESTIC PRODUCT POVERTY REDUCTION BUSINESS ENVIRONMENT PROPERTY RIGHTS CONTRACT ENFORCEMENT ACCOUNTABILITY AGGREGATE INDEXES AGGREGATE INDICATOR ANNUAL GROWTH ANNUAL GROWTH RATE AVERAGE GROWTH AVERAGE GROWTH RATE BLACK MARKET BLACK MARKET EXCHANGE RATE BLACK MARKET EXCHANGE RATE PREMIUM BLACK MARKET PREMIUM BUSINESS CLIMATE BUSINESS CYCLE BUSINESS CYCLE PHENOMENA BUSINESS ENVIRONMENT BUSINESS ENVIRONMENT INDEX BUSINESS ENVIRONMENT INDICATORS BUSINESS ENVIRONMENT INFLUENCE BUSINESS ENVIRONMENT VIEW BUSINESS TRANSACTIONS CAUSAL IMPACT CIVIL LAW COMMERCIAL CONTRACTING COMMERCIAL EXPERIENCE COMMON LAW COMPARATIVE ADVANTAGE COMPETITIVE ENVIRONMENT COMPETITIVENESS ENVIRONMENT CONTRACT ENFORCEMENT CORPORATE FINANCE CORRUPTION COST OF CONTRACT ENFORCEMENT COST OF CONTRACT ENFORCEMENT MEASURES COUNTRY CHARACTERISTICS COUNTRY DATA COUNTRY REGRESSIONS CREDIT MARKETS CRIME CRISES CROSS- COUNTRY ANALYSIS DEPENDENT VARIABLE DESCRIPTIVE STATISTICS DEVELOPED COUNTRIES DEVELOPING COUNTRIES DEVELOPING COUNTRY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ECONOMIC GROWTH EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT EMPIRICAL EVIDENCE EMPIRICAL RESULTS EMPLOYMENT ENFORCEABILITY ENTREPRENEURSHIP ENTRY BARRIERS ERROR TERM EXIT BARRIERS EXPANSION EXPORT TRADERS FINANCIAL CONSTRAINTS FINANCIAL DEVELOPMENT FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS FINANCIAL INTERMEDIARY CREDIT FINANCIAL MARKET FINANCIAL SECTOR FINANCIAL SUPPORT FIRM SIZE GOVERNMENT BUREAUCRACY GOVERNMENT CONSUMPTION GOVERNMENT CONSUMPTION EXPENDITURES GOVERNMENT POLICIES GOVERNMENT SUBSIDIZATION GOVERNMENT SUPPORT GOVERNMENT-BUSINESS COORDINATION GROWTH DETERMINANTS GROWTH RATE GROWTH RATES GROWTH REGRESSIONS HOUSEHOLD SURVEYS HUMAN CAPITAL HUMAN CAPITAL ACCUMULATION INCOME INCOME GROWTH INCOME QUINTILE INCREASE GROWTH INDIVIDUAL COUNTRIES INDUSTRIAL COMPOSITION INDUSTRIAL ORGANIZATION INDUSTRIAL ORGANIZATION LITERATURE INDUSTRIAL ORGANIZATION THEORIES INDUSTRY-LEVEL STUDIES INFLATION RATE INFORMAL ACTIVITY INFORMAL ECONOMY INFORMAL ENTERPRISES INFORMAL ENTREPRENEURS INFORMAL LABOR FORCE INFORMAL SECTOR INFORMAL SOURCES OF FINANCE INSTITUTIONAL ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL AID INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY INTERNATIONAL TRADE JOB CREATION LABOR ABUNDANCE LABOR FORCE LABOR INTENSITY LABOR MARKET LARGE ENTERPRISES LEGAL ORIGIN LEGAL SYSTEMS LONG-RUN GROWTH MARKET STRUCTURE MARKET TRANSACTION MARKET TRANSACTION COSTS MARKET TRANSACTIONS COSTS MARKET VALUE OF OUTPUT MEDIUM SIZE ENTERPRISES MEDIUM- SIZE NATIONAL POLICIES NATIONAL POVERTY LINE 0 HYPOTHESIS ORGANIZED CRIME PATENT PROTECTION PER CAPITA INCOME POLICY IMPLICATIONS POLICY RESEARCH POLICY VARIABLES POLITICAL STABILITY POLITICAL SUPPORT POLITICAL SYSTEM POVERTY ALLEVIATION POVERTY ALLEVIATION TOOL POVERTY GAP POVERTY INDICATORS POVERTY LINE POVERTY REDUCTION POVERTY REDUCTIONS POVERTY REGRESSIONS PRIVATE COMMERCIAL TRANSACTIONS PRIVATE PROPERTY PRIVATE SECTOR PRIVATE SECTOR TRANSACTIONS PRODUCTION FUNCTION PRODUCTION OF GOODS PRODUCTIVITY GROWTH PRODUCTIVITY PER CAPITA GROWTH PRODUCTIVITY STUDIES PROPERTY RIGHTS REGULATORY ENFORCEMENT RELATIVE IMPORTANCE RULE OF LAW SIGNIFICANT CORRELATION SIZE OF FIRMS SMALL AND MEDIUM ENTERPRISE SMALL AND MEDIUM ENTERPRISES SMALL FIRMS SMALL MANUFACTURERS SME SME CLUSTERS SME DEVELOPMENT SME EMPLOYMENT SME POLICIES SME POLICY SME SECTOR SME SUPPORT PROGRAMS SMES SOUND BUSINESS ENVIRONMENT SOUND CONTRACT ENFORCEMENT TAXATION TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE TRANSITION ECONOMIES The authors explore the relationship between the relative size of the small and medium enterprise (SME) sector, economic growth, and poverty using a new database on the share of SME labor in the total manufacturing labor force. Using a sample of 76 countries, they find a strong association between the importance of SMEs and GDP per capita growth. This relationship, however, is not robust to controlling for simultaneity bias. So, while a large SME sector is characteristic of successful economies, the data fail to support the hypothesis that SMEs exert a causal impact on growth. Furthermore, the authors find no evidence that SMEs reduce poverty. Finally, they find qualified evidence that the overall business environment facing both large and small firms-as measured by the ease of firm entry and exit, sound property rights, and contract enforcement-influences economic growth. 2014-04-10T20:53:36Z 2014-04-10T20:53:36Z 2003-12 http://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/2003/12/2862536/small-medium-enterprises-growth-poverty-cross-country-evidence http://hdl.handle.net/10986/17742 English en_US Policy Research Working Paper;No. 3178 CC BY 3.0 IGO http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/igo/ World Bank, Washington, DC Publications & Research :: Policy Research Working Paper Publications & Research