SMEs as engines of inclusive growth: The Albanian business ecosystem within the Sustainable Development Goals framework

This paper explores the interlinkages between the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and small and medium enterprise (SME) development in Albania, assessing how national policies and donor-supported initiatives to the business ecosystem contribute to reducing inequality and fostering inclusive growth. The study adopts a participatory multiple-case design within a mixed-methods framework. It triangulates national and regional policy documents, official SME performance indicators, and longitudinal field evidence collected through more than ten visits, interviews, and direct observations with each of the thirteen SMEs across a six-month period in three neighbouring municipalities of Albania. Results show partial alignment between SDG priorities and SME policies. Firms demonstrate tangible improvements in workplace organisation, innovation capacity, and gender participation, though systemic constraints limited finance, technological adoption, and rural inclusion persist. . The study is based on extensive field engagement, including more than ten visits, interviews, and direct observations for each of the thirteen SMEs over a six-month period, complemented by national policy and statistical analysis. While these longitudinal observations provide rich qualitative depth and triangulated validity, the research does not aim to establish causal relationships or statistical generalisation beyond the observed sample. Strengthening SME access to finance, digitalisation, and capacity development can advance inclusive economic growth. Social implications. Enterprise upgrading contributes to regional cohesion, household income stability, and women’s participation in the labour market. This paper provides field-verified evidence on how Albania’s SMEs operationalise SDG 8 (Decent Work), SDG 9 (Industry and Innovation), and SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities), offering insight into sustainable industrialisation in a transition economy.