No such thing as a commodity : routes to higher value added for SMEs in developing and least developed countries

Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are important actors in all economies and key to policies for inclusive growth, innovation, productivity and job creation. However, they tend to be trapped in low value-added tasks and commodity dependence. This White Paper sets out five ways SMEs in developing and least developed countries can move to higher value-added activities and increase their earnings. It draws on examples of successful initiatives and business models and shares recommendations for policy makers, development agencies and others concerned with enabling SMEs to take advantage of globalization and digitalization. The paper is written by the International Trade Centre and the World Economic Forum.