02044cas a2200241 a 4500 AALejournalIMF021117 230101c9999 xx r poo 0 0eng d 5.00 USD 9781513550770 1018-5941 BD-DhAAL BD-DhAAL Lukonga, Inutu. Harnessing Digital Technologies to Promote SMEs in the MENAP Region / Inutu Lukonga. Washington, D.C. : International Monetary Fund, 2020. 1 online resource (46 pages) IMF Working Papers <strong>Off-Campus Access:</strong> No User ID or Password Required <strong>On-Campus Access:</strong> No User ID or Password Required Electronic access restricted to authorized BRAC University faculty, staff and students Policy makers in the MENAP region have been formulating policies and designing programs to develop small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) with a view to create jobs and achieve inclusive growth. But while the programs have helped increase the number of enterprises, growth of SMEs continues to face barriers to growth. As a result, microenterprises predominate and SMEs contribution to employment remains below potential. Partial implementation of reforms explain some of the underperformance, but frictions in strategy design also played an important role. Sustaining current reforms is, therefore, not sufficient to achieve inclusive growth. Digital technologies have potential to boost SMEs productivity and growth and economies are rapidly digitalizing, thus SMEs need to embrace digital solutions to compete and survive. Therefore, for SMEs to be effective engines of inclusive growth, a rethinking of the SME development strategy is needed that makes SMEs' digital transformation a priority. Mode of access: Internet IMF Working Papers; Working Paper ; No. 2020/135 Full text available on IMF http://elibrary.imf.org/view/journals/001/2020/135/001.2020.issue-135-en.xml IMF e-Library