MSME Digital Exports in Southeast Asia – A study of MSME digital exports in 10 ASEAN markets
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Centre of Entrepreneurship
The International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) and Google have partnered to research digital exports of micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) in Southeast Asia to inform policy discussions and develop tailored training programmes to upskill and empower MSMEs in the region.
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MSMEs form the backbone of economies of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). Yet, despite their contribution to ASEAN economies and society, participation in exports and global markets remain relatively low. MSMEs account for a small proportion of exports relative to their share of activity and employment in the region. Against this backdrop, the MSME Digital Exports in Southeast Asia report assesses and paints an accurate picture of ASEAN MSME exports, identifies key barriers that prevent MSMEs from exporting, and analyses how MSMEs leverage digital technologies to help drive exports in the region. By drawing on these insights, ICC and Google aim to inform the ambitious policy discussions that are ongoing both at national and regional level, and further develop tailored training programmes for MSMEs to upskill and empower businesses in the region.
“Smaller businesses and entrepreneurs are the backbone of the real economy. Through this partnership with Google, ICC is committed to delivering trusted, quality training to help SMEs harness the opportunities of digital trade. The goal is to ensure our global know-how and solutions benefit business communities and the communities they serve, in Asia and beyond,” John W.H. Denton AO, Secretary General of the International Chamber of Commerce, said.
The MSME Digital Exports in Southeast Asia report is underpinned by a survey of 1,560 MSMEs in the 10 ASEAN markets. Key insights from the report include:
“Digital technologies are creating opportunities for small businesses to trade and reach international markets in ways impossible a generation ago, but those opportunities are not always easy to seize. Google is excited to collaborate with ICC and the International Trade Centre to develop a training curriculum to help address this gap in ASEAN – and better enable MSMEs to fully benefit from the growing digital economy,” Karan Bhatia, Vice President, Government Affairs and Public Policy at Google, said.
Building on the report, ICC, Google and the International Trade Centre are co-designing a curriculum and creating a network of trainers to train 1,000 ASEAN MSMEs in digital export-relevant skills. The ICC Centre of Entrepreneurship in Indonesia will play a leading role in deploying and coordinating the implementation of the training programme.
With this ambitious project, ICC demonstrates a steadfast commitment to working with key partners and the ICC global network to support and empower the MSME community.
Download the country summary of surveyed MSMEs in Thailand
Download the country summary of surveyed MSMEs in Vietnam
Download the country summary of surveyed MSMEs in Singapore
Download the country summary of surveyed MSMEs in Brunei
Download the country summary of surveyed MSMEs in Cambodia
Download the country summary of surveyed MSMEs in Indonesia
Download the country summary of surveyed MSMEs in Malaysia
Download the country summary of surveyed MSMEs in Myanmar
Download the country summary of surveyed MSMEs in Philippines