This paper explores the relationship between the relative size of the Small and Medium Enterprise (SME) sector, economic growth, and poverty alleviation using a new database on the share of SME labor in the total manufacturing labor force. Using a sample of 45 countries, we find a strong, positive association between the importance of SMEs and GDP per capita growth. The data do not, however, confidently support the conclusions that SMEs exert a causal impact on growth. Furthermore, we find no evidence that SMEs alleviate poverty or decrease income inequality.
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Paper provided by National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc in its series NBER Working Papers with number
11224.
Length: Date of creation: Mar 2005 Date of revision: Handle: RePEc:nbr:nberwo:11224
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Find related papers by JEL classification: O1 - Economic Development, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development O2 - Economic Development, Technological Change, and Growth - - Development Planning and Policy L11 - Industrial Organization - - Market Structure, Firm Strategy, and Market Performance - - - Production, Pricing, and Market Structure; Size Distribution of Firms L25 - Industrial Organization - - Firm Objectives, Organization, and Behavior - - - Firm Performance
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