BACKGROUND
Two of the fundamental characteristics of SMEs is their flexibility and agility to respond to the changing demands of the market. This feature, in terms of generation of economies of scale, limits their ability to be competitive in world markets. As a solution, all analyses and successful experiences conclude that partnership is the suitable principle, considered a mechanism for cooperation between small and medium-sized enterprises in which each participating company, while maintaining its legal independence and managerial autonomy, decides to voluntarily participate in a joint effort for the achievement of a common goal.
Opportunities offered by partnership are presented as a collective learning, which expands on innovative management processes and is derived from the articulation of models that have an impact on economic growth and competitiveness in the long term.
SELA has conducted seminars and workshops on inter-firm cooperation and partnership with the purpose of strengthening the productive articulation capacities of SMEs in value chains and encouraging the formation of sectoral productive linkages. Small and medium-sized enterprises face the challenge of exporting, and to cope with it, they should formulate strategies with long-term objectives in order to conquer new markets, with trained staff at all levels acting in a coordinated manner and establishing different forms of sectoral linkages.
The experience gained by SELA in this area is recognized, since it has conducted courses and workshops on internationalization of SMEs during the last 15 years with the support of experts of public and private organizations from several countries in the region and other regions.
The description of all activities carried out by the Permanent Secretariat in the field of productive articulation, clusters, export consortiums, partnership and internationalization of SMEs is available on the specialized portal of the Latin American and Caribbean Regional Programme for Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SELA-SMEs Programme).
