‌‌‌	Pages: 160 Languages: English / Italian (executive summary only) Publication Date: 20 Dec 2012 DOI: 10.1787/5k8x6l0rxrs2-en PDF: Download

Entrepreneurship and the development of Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises (SMEs) are key drivers of economic growth and job creation. The OECD review series on Boosting local entrepreneurship and enterprise creation, of which this study is a part, examines the capacity of local economies to support successful new enterprise creation and the growth of small enterprises and make recommendations on how this capacity can be enhanced through local policies. The reviews entail an assessment of entrepreneurship and SME performance at the local level, the local framework conditions affecting this performance and the policies in place to back entrepreneurship and SME development. The reviews involve a comprehensive examination of conditions and policies including the key domains of skills, financing, business support infrastructure and innovation.

In the case of Lombardy, the economically most powerful region of Italy, the review includes a specific assessment of local entrepreneurship policies against the framework of the European Union’s Small Business Act (SBA). The SBA prioritises the role of business-friendly regulations for the creation of new start-ups and the development of existing small enterprises. SMEs and their clusters constitute the backbone of Lombardy economical structure. In such a context and given the impact of the persisting current financial and economic downturn, supporting the development of innovative SME and their networks is a priority for addressing the recovery challenge.

 

Table of contents

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• EXECUTIVE SUMMARY - IT
  • Sfide e opportunità
  • Raccomandazioni di natura politica
• EXECUTIVE SUMMARY - EN
  • Challenges and opportunities
  • Policy recommendations
• CHAPTER 1: BUSINESS ENVIRONMENT AND SME NETWORKS
  • Introduction
  • Business environment and SME networks: some findings from research literature
  • Context of Lombardy Region
  • SBA Principles: the importance of business networks, the strengths and linkages
  • OECD survey evidence and analysis
  • Challenges and opportunities
  • Conclusions and recommendations
• CHAPTER 2: ENTREPRENEURSHIP AND SME WORKFORCE SKILLS
  • Introduction
  • Policy and good practice
  • SBA Principles: the importance of entrepreneurship and skills
  • Situation in Lombardy
  • OECD survey evidence and analysis
  • Challenges and opportunities
  • Conclusions and recommendations
• CHAPTER 3: NEW ENTERPRISE CREATION
  • Introduction
  • Policy issues and role of EU
  • SBA Principles: the importance of new enterprises
  • Situation in Lombardy
  • OECD survey evidence and analysis
  • Challenges and opportunities
  • Conclusion and recommendations
• CHAPTER 4: KNOWLEDGE NETWORKS AND INNOVATION
  • Introduction: importance of knowledge networks and innovation
  • Knowledge and innovation drivers for SMEs: some research findings
  • Challenges of knowledge networks and innovation to Lombardy
  • SBA Principles: knowledge and innovation focus
  • Overview of the innovation system performance in Lombardy Region
  • OECD survey evidence and analysis
  • Challenges and opportunities
  • Conclusions and recommendations
• CHAPTER 5: ACCESS TO FINANCE
  • Introduction
  • The SME financing gap
  • SBA Principles: easing access to finance and developing a supportive framework
  • SMEs and entrepreneurship finance in Lombard
  • OECD Survey evidence
  • Challenges and opportunities
  • Conclusions and recommendations
• CHAPTER 6: CONCLUSIONS AND POLICY RECOMMENDATIONS
  • Lombardy region and its entrepreneurial structure
  • Final remarks
• REFERENCES
• ANNEX I: Learning Models
• ANNEX II: The OECD Review Team Members
  

 

Contact

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For more information please contact Alessandra Proto at the OECD Secretariat.