Small and medium enterprises (SMEs)

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Description: ABSTRACT: "Small and medium enterprises (SMEs) share the biggest part in Myanmar economy in terms of number, contribution to employment, output, and investment. Myanmar economic growth is thus totally dependent on the development of SMEs in the private sector. Today, the role of SMEs has become more vital in strengthening national competitive advantage and the speedy economic integration into the ASEAN region. However, studies show that SMEs have to deal with a number of constraints that hinder their development potential, such as the shortage in power supply, unavailability of long-term credit from external sources and many others. Among them, the financing problem of SMEs is one of the biggest constraints. Such is deeply rooted in demand and supply issues, macroeconomic fundamentals, and lending infrastructure of the country. The government's policy towards SMEs could also lead to insufficient support for the SMEs. Thus, focusing on SMEs and private sector development as a viable strategy for industrialization and economic development of the country is a fundamental requirement for SME development. This paper recommends policies for stabilizing macro economic fundamentals, improving lending infrastructures of the country and improving demand- and supply-side conditions from the SMEs financing perspective in order to provide a more accessible financing for SMEs and to contribute in the overall development of SMEs in Myanmar thereby to sharpen national competitive advantage in the age of speedy economic integration."... Keywords: small and medium enterprise (SME), financing, competitiveness... JEL classification: G20, G30, L60, M10
Creator/author: Aung Kyaw
Source/publisher: Institute of Developing Economies (IDE)...IDE Discussion paper No, 148
2008-04-00
Date of entry/update: 2008-12-30
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language: English
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Description: ABSTRACT" "Small and medium enterprises (SMEs) engaged in sugar processing in Myanmar appeared in the last decade of the socialist era. An acute sugar deficit, restricted trade in white sugar, and high demand from the conventional dairy business led to the growth of sugar SMEs by appropriate blending of semi-finished products (syrup) in the fields, which were then processed in vacuum pans and centrifugals to obtain white sugar. This became a tradable commodity and sugar SMEs grew in clusters in big cities. They are family-owned businesses. However, they lack the bagasse-based power generation. In recent years, large modern sugar factories operated by private and military companies have emerged as key players. The current shortage of fuel feedstock and competition for raw materials have become driving forces that shift sugar SMEs from market-oriented to raw material-oriented locations. Internal competition among key players made sugar price highly volatile, too. Being placed on a level playing field, the whole industry should be upgraded in terms of price and quality to become export-oriented."... Keywords: Myanmar (Burma), small and medium enterprise (SME), state-owned economic enterprise (SEE), sugar, sugarcane, resource-based location, market economy, Mandalay, Pyawbwe... JEL classification: L11, L52, L66, N85
Creator/author: San Thein, Toshihiro Kudo
Source/publisher: Institute of Developing Economies (IDE Discussion paper No, 147)
2008-04-00
Date of entry/update: 2008-12-30
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language: English
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