Part I       SMEs in the European Union  (12:33)

Part II     SMEs in North America  (8:04)

Click the triangles above to access GEC’s audio-narrated Web Presentation, SMEs in the Global Economy. Click the PDF link on the right to download a printable version of the Web Presentation.

SMEs IN THE GLOBAL ECONOMY

Small and medium enterprises (SMEs) are the bulwark of the economies of Europe and North America. They are the foremost sources of employment, job creation, and value-added in the two regions. SMEs are key contributors to research and development, and indeed stand as technology leaders in many segments of European and American industry.

SMEs are also increasingly visible players in the global economy, reflecting:

1. •The revolution in Information Technology that extends the global reach of SMEs
   

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3. •Advances in shipping and logistics that lower the threshold of international operations for SMEs previously limited to domestic activities
   

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5. •Improvements in global risk management that lower the danger of SMEs’ entry into foreign markets
   

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7. •The integration of SMEs into the global supply chains of downstream  multinationals                                                                                             
   

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9. •SMEs’ penetration of high-growth, high-margin niches that are too small to be interesting to Fortune 1000 companies
   

The Global Economics Company is committed to helping small and medium enterprises realize their international growth potential. The following Web Presentation summarizes the findings of GEC’s analysis of the SME sectors of Europe and North America.