Scale-ups, i.e. firms that grow fast over a short period of time, significantly contribute to job creation and economic growth. This study uses granular firm, establishment and employee data to understand how relocations, domestic expansions or foreign acquisitions impact the life cycle of...

A small group of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) that grow fast over a short period of time, i.e., scalers, make an outsized contribution to job creation and economic growth. This paper provides a portrait of scalers in the Italian region of Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol, and its two...

This report examines international policy experiences in designing and implementing online business diagnostic tools for SME and entrepreneurship development. These tools offer entrepreneurs and small business managers an individual online assessment of the strengths and weaknesses of their...

This policy brief discusses recent international policy experiences in developing e-learning and digital business diagnostic tools for entrepreneurs. E-learning tools can develop entrepreneurial knowledge, skills and competences among users and increase their confidence and success in business...

This paper analyses changes in the quality of the working environment in fifteen European Union countries between 1995 and 2015, using self-reported data from the European Working and Living Conditions Survey. It finds that, although in 1995, the self-employed reported inferior working...

This document reports on the final output of the OECD microBeRD+ project. Drawing on the outcomes of previous work, this study presents new evidence on the impact of business R&D support policies – tax incentives and direct forms of support – on business R&D investment (R&D input...

This paper takes stock of one year of policy responses to the 2022/2023 energy crisis triggered by Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine from the perspective of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). In this paper, "SME policy responses" are defined as all government policies, whether...

Access to trade finance, i.e. financial instruments and means of payments for international transactions, can enable SME engagement in international activities through direct exporting and participation in global value chains, and ultimately foster inclusive economic growth and innovation. The...

This report delves into the pivotal role of business development services (BDS) in enhancing productivity among small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), with a particular focus on the UK's SME landscape. Drawing on international policy experiences, it addresses key challenges, including...