THE OECD SME AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP OUTLOOK

Since 2019, the yearly Entrepreneurship at a Glance publication has been replaced with a biennial OECD SME and Entrepreneurship Outlook. The OECD SME and Entrepreneurship Outlook presents the latest trends in performance of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and provides a comprehensive overview of business conditions and policy frameworks for SMEs and entrepreneurs.

The latest 2021 edition shines a light on the impacts of the global pandemic on SMEs and entrepreneurs. SMEs and entrepreneurs have been hit hard during the COVID-19 crisis. Policy responses were quick and unprecedented, helping cushion the blow and maintain most SMEs and entrepreneurs afloat. Despite the magnitude of the shock, available data so far point to sustained start-ups creation, no wave of bankruptcies, and an impulse to innovation in most OECD countries. However, government support has been less effective at reaching the self-employed, smaller and younger firms, women, and entrepreneurs from minorities. Countries were not all even in their capacity to support SMEs either. As vaccine campaigns roll out and economic prospects brighten, governments have to take the turn of a crisis exit and create the conditions to build back better. The OECD SME and Entrepreneurship Outlook 2021 brings new evidence on the impact of the crisis and policy responses on SMEs and entrepreneurs. It reflects on longer-term issues, such as SME indebtedness or SME role in more resilient supply chains or innovation diffusion. The report contains country profiles that benchmark impact, factors of vulnerability, and sources of resilience in OECD countries, and give a policy spotlight on liquidity support and recovery plans for SMEs.

The next update is scheduled for 2023.

GET REAL-TIME DATA

Entrepreneurship at a Glance is based on the OECD Structural Business Statistics, the OECD Business Demography Indicators and the Timely Indicators of Entrepreneurship databases.They contain more and longer time series than presented in the publication.  

CONTACT

For further information, please contact the Statistics Directorate at [email protected].