Small and medium companies: Localization and environmental requirements developed for the metropolitan area of Mérida, Venezuela

Small and medium companies (SMC) are key for the process of local and endogenous development and have specific requirements in terms of localization and environmental management. In this research, criteria for localization and environmental requirements of SMC are developed for the metropolitan area of Mérida, Venezuela. The study was conducted using a mix approach selecting all the SMC located at the Los Curos industrial park and in the area Los Llanos El Anís. Criteria to be taken into account for localization and environmental management of SMC are the physical and natural environment characteristics, accessibility, services availability, and political and administrative institutional constrains. The key social actors in this process are power, production, wisdom and community actors. Finally, the analysis was applied to the targeted population using the matrix of localization and environmental requirements for SMC to conclude that the area of parcels located at the right margin of La Variante highway, at the entrance of San Juan de Lagunillas is the one with the highest favorable weight in terms of localization, the greater potential for hosting the SMC and the least damaging effect over the environment.