Building an information system to enhance innovative SMEs in Albania

Abstract

SMEs play an important role in the national economic development of any country. Now days SMEs are becoming more and more a subject of high attention of policy makers especially to developing countries due to their great potential in contribution of sustainable economic growth and employment generation for the national economy. In Albania, SMEs represent about 98 percent of the total enterprises in the country with a contribution to national GDP for about 70 percent.The economic performance and the structure of national economy is depended very much on the performance and the contribution of SMEs. Therefore, building an information system on SMEs performance is very important especially related to the objective for enhancing the innovative SMEs in the country. To measure SMEs’ ability to compete on national, regional and international markets requires a lot of information on all aspects,not only insights from SMEs but also contribution from SME experts, policy makers, representatives of associations of private enterprises dealing with SME issues. In addition, survey data analysis, is very useful instrument to establish the set of proper indicators (employment, productivity, adopted technology, access to credit, to market) to measure to what extend these indicators are fulfilled by Albanian SMEs. To achieve this objective, the author have used the data collected through sample survey carried out by regional development agency, to 150 SMEs engaged in industrial production, located in 4 regions of the country. The sample results shows that despite the worldwide economic crisis, SMEs in Albania have contributed in growth of new jobs and investments in new technologies. Nevertheless currently SMEs still lack an adequate level of experience with regards to their functioning in the context of a market economy and open competition. The objective of the article, based on sample survey data is to prepare a set of recommendations both for SME’s and the stakeholders committed to SMEs development.