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In an increasingly interconnected world, Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises (SMEs) are emerging as significant contributors to global economic development. SMEs, which constitute a vast segment of businesses worldwide, find international markets rife with opportunities for growth, diversification, and resilience. These markets enable SMEs to reach new customers, adopt diverse business practices, and foster cross-cultural innovation. However, barriers such as financial and informational limitations, complex regulatory environments, and an investment climate favoring large Multinational Enterprises (MNEs) hinder SMEs' efforts to invest overseas.

The Current State of SME Investments

Recent trends indicate a decline in foreign direct investment (FDI) by SMEs. In 2022, the number of outward greenfield investment projects was only a quarter of that in 2015. This decline underscores the challenges confronting SMEs in their quest to venture into international markets.

The Potential of SME Investment for Sustainable Development

SME investments hold immense potential for sustainable development. Unlike investments by large MNEs, SME investments are generally less transient, more integrated with local economies, and less likely to displace local businesses. As the global business landscape shifts towards regionalization and grapples with international tax reforms, SMEs can play a pivotal role in maintaining competitiveness.

Policy Recommendations to Enhance SME Investment

Empirical studies suggest a need to balance the investment policy landscape, which currently favors large MNEs disproportionately. A new framework for evaluating the appropriateness and effectiveness of existing investment policies is proposed. This framework aims to provide policy options that enhance SME investment abroad and create a supportive environment for SMEs in international markets. These initiatives can help unlock the development advantages offered by SMEs.

Among the recommendations, the importance of analyzing business conditions, prioritizing SME development, and taking necessary actions for the development of small capital markets is emphasized. There is a call for a specialized market infrastructure for SMEs, support for equity finance through venture capital markets, development of capital market professionals, and government policy support measures. Stable macroeconomic and institutional contexts, market infrastructure development, and supportive policies for engaging institutional investors are also deemed crucial.

One such initiative in Nepal's Koshi Province aims to improve access to growth capital and business development services for SMEs. The project includes both the supply and demand side of business development services and establishes a Risk Reduction Mechanism for SME lending. These efforts illustrate how targeted initiatives can bolster SMEs' potential in international markets and contribute to sustainable global economic development.

Source: https://bnnbreaking.com/international-affairs/balancing-the-scale-enhancing-sme-investment-in-international-markets