Unlocking the Potential of Zambian Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises "Learning from the international best practices - the Southeast Asian Experience"

Chisala Chibwe

No 134, IDE Discussion Papers from Institute of Developing Economies, Japan External Trade Organization(JETRO)

Abstract: This paper examines the SMEs performance in Zambia and attempts to identify some practical lessons that Zambia can learn from Southeast Asian countries (with reference to Malaysia) in order to facilitate industrial development through unlocking the potential of its SMEs sector. Malaysia and Zambia were at the same level of economic development as evidenced by similar per capita incomes but Zambia has remained behind economically and its manufacturing sector has stagnated as if both countries did not have similar initial endowments. It therefore, becomes imperative that Zambia learns from such countries on how they managed to take-off economically with a focus on SME development. Training (education), research & development, market availability and technological advancement through establishment of industrial linkages coupled with cluster formation were some of the outstanding strategies identified that Zambia could use as a “key” to unlock its SMEs’ potential as it strives to meet the UN MDGs in particular halving its poverty levels by 2015 and also realizing its vision of becoming a middle income earner by 2030.

Keywords: Development; SMEs (Small and Medium Enterprises); MNCs (Multi-National Corporations); Zambia; Malaysia; Southeast Asia; Small and medium-scale enterprises; International business enterprises; 発展; 中小企業; 多国籍企業; ザンビア; マレーシア; 東南アジア (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: L60 O19 R20 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2008-02-01
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-afr and nep-sea
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

Published in IDE Discussion Paper = IDE Discussion Paper, No. 134. 2008-02-01

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