This goal covers three areas, including provision of resilient infrastructure, industrialization including development of small-scale industrial enterprises, and promotion of research and innovation. Small-scale industrial enterprises, which certainly includes MSMEs, are directly relevant to the goals. Manufacturing value added of small-scale enterprises varies considerably across developing countries.
The infrastructure needs of MSMEs may differ from those of larger businesses. While high capacity transmission lines and heavy transport infrastructure serving industrial parks will serve businesses on the larger end of the spectrum and possibly medium enterprises, small and micro enterprises are more likely to depend on local, decentralized infrastructure. MSMEs can also play a role in the provision of such infrastructure, such as through partnering with telecommunications providers to roll out infrastructure in underserved areas. By their nature, MSMEs are also typically well-placed to create innovations that find success in particular niches of the economy, and in a large enough field of innovators, some of these will be able to replicate their success in broader environments. To achieve this, MSMEs need access to coaching and training services that will enable them to target new markets and successfully transition through the different stages of business growth.
Policy measures to support Goal 9:
- Supporting MSMEs in the uptake of new technologies through require capacity building, knowledge and technology transfer, financial resources and an enabling policy framework.
- Facilitating access to finance for MSMEs that enable business owners to innovate, improve efficiency, expand into new markets, while being able to fail in non-catastrophic manner should these innovations and expansions fail.
- Where possible, open up markets that have typically been monopolized by large firms (such as infrastructure provision), such that MSMEs may be able to enter to provide services enabled by new technology like smart metering electricity or microgrids.
