The papers included in this volume were prepared to assist the Group of Experts which the Commonwealth Heads of Government, meeting in August 1979, had requested the Secretary-General to assemble in order to “investigate and report on the factors inhibiting structural change and a sustained improvement in economic growth” and to identify specific measures by which developed and developing countries, Commonwealth and non-Commonwealth might act to reduce or eliminate such constraints as a matter of urgency”. The Group consisted of 10 experts who served in their personal capacities and were drawn from a representative range of developed and developing countries. During the first half of 1980 they met three times, and in July 1980 their Report was published by the Commonwealth Secretariat under the title ‘The World Economic Crisis: A Commonwealth Perspective’ (ISBN: 0-85092-183-X).

It is widely accepted that small and medium enterprises (SMEs) are a powerful engine of growth and employment in many developing economies. However, little is known about the contribution of SMEs to exports in developing countries and the experience of policies to increase SME exports.

The papers included in this volume were prepared to assist the Group of Experts which the Commonwealth Heads of Government, meeting in August 1979, had requested the SecretaryGeneral to assemble in order to "investigate and report on the factors inhibiting structural change and a sustained improvement in economic growth" and to identify specific measures by which developed and developing countries, Commonwealth and nonCommonwealth might act to reduce or eliminate such constraints as a matter of urgency". The Group consisted of 10 experts who served in their personal capacities and were drawn from a representative range of developed and developing countries. During the first half of 1980 they met three times, and in July 1980 their Report was published by the Commonwealth Secretariat under the title 'The World Economic Crisis: A Commonwealth Perspective' (ISBN: 085092183X).

This series examines current economic issues from a Commonwealth perspective. The titles in the series are technical papers of topical interest to specialists concerned with trade, micro and macroeconomics, development economics and related subjects