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The objective of the study is to promote better and wider understanding of the causes of the 1997 Asian economic crisis and to reflect on lessons that could be drawn for formulating policy responses...

For many developing countries, including Jamaica, electronic commerce and music have been identified as an important new trading opportunity that provides one of the fastest means of penetrating...

The proliferation of inter-firm partnerships in the past few decades has raised expectations of accelerated growth and opportunities for developing countries in their efforts to catch up. However...

The computer software industry has the potential to become one of the most internationally dispersed high-tech industries. The last two decades saw high growth rates of this sector and a dramatic...

Standards and regulations are an integral, if easily overlooked, part of our daily life. They determine whether a plug fits into a socket, whether food is safe for human consumption or whether a bank...

This report looks at the missing link to inclusive growth for Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs), which are less productive relative to large firms in the developing world than in the developed world...

This year’s report focuses on regional trade, the most common form of trade for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). It contains 50 country profiles, featuring detailed SME competitiveness...

It is generally agreed that export diversification in terms of both non-traditional and traditional commodities is critical to growth and development in small, low-income economies such as least...

The present volume of Development Papers addresses the subjects of poverty alleviation and income and employment generation in selected Asian Countries. It is based on country assessment studies...

The Asia Pacific region holds two thirds of the world’s poor. Over the past few decades the region has seen the development of microfinance institutions which offer a wide variety of financial...

This SME Competitiveness Outlook assesses the impact of conflict and fragility on business performance. It unveils a Fragility Exposure Index, and shows that fragility, as experienced by firms, can be...

Our services sectors are key to an economic transformation. This report calls them ‘connected services. Transport and logistics, financial services, information and communication technologies, and...

The SME Competitiveness Outlook 2021 analyses how small businesses can rebuild from the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic so they are better prepared to face the looming crisis of climate change. It...

Increasing annual investments in small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in developing countries by $1 trilling would yield disproportionate dividends in terms of progress towards the Sustainable...

New technologies like advanced robotics, 3-D printing, big data and the internet of things are rapidly changing the way in which firms do business. A strong business ecosystem is necessary to manage...

This paper discusses efforts to promote rural development in the countries of South Asia whose economies remain heavily dependent on their agricultural production. The report also examines the impact...

Countries have increasingly recognized that integration of economic and environmental considerations is an imminent challenge in formulating effective sustainable development policies. This volume...

Studies conducted in the countries of China, India, Malaysia, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, the Philippines, the Republic of Korea, Singapore, Sri Lanka and Thailand are used to highlight the...

For the countries of the region, this publication provides information such as: country profile; development policies; plans and programmes; education and literacy; health and family planning...

This volume focuses on institutional mechanisms for integrating environment into economic policy-making in selected countries of the ESCAP region. In particular it examines existing institutional...