Access to Trade and Growth of Women’s SMEs in APEC Developing Economies Carol Yost The Asia Foundation Women’s Empowerment Program 2 September 2013 Indonesia ∙ Malaysia ∙ Philippines ∙ Thailand

Research Methodology Quantitative research Survey questionnaire Malaysia 92 SMEs 55 exporting SMEs ~50% female, ~50% male Area-based quota sampling Thailand 80 SMEs 56 exporting SMEs ~50% female, ~50% male Stratified random sampling Philippines 100 SMEs 50 exporting SMEs ~50% female, ~50% male Area-based quota sampling & simple random sampling Qualitative research All Study Economies Semi-structured interviews Focus group discussions Case studies of female entrepreneurs Indonesia 108 SMEs 42 exporting SMEs ~50% female, ~50% male Area-based quota sampling & simple random sampling

Areas of Research Focus Economic and Financial Barriers Government and Policy Barriers Social Support Barriers

Most Challenging Part of the Loan Application Process in Indonesia

Finance & Loans Findings Complexity of the loan application process is a key problem for women owned SMEs across all countries surveyed. Most Challenging Part of The Loan Process: Malaysia, the Philippines and Thailand

Employee Hiring and Training Findings Among women and men business owners employee hiring and training was cited as their primary business challenge. Primary Business Challenge: All SMEs

Technology Findings Women firm owners lag behind men in their knowledge and use of technology Awareness of Technologies that Would Make Business More Profitable

Employee Hiring and Training Findings Women owners hire more women than men owners. Average Firm Size by Frequency of Interactions with Formal Networks

Corruption Findings Informal payments are a problem for all business owners, especially in the Philippines. Perceptions of Severity of Informal Payments Problem: By APEC Economy

Government Support Findings Women business owners in Malaysia and Thailand perceived low levels of government support. How Supportive is Government of Businesses Like Yours?: All SMEs Malaysia

Recommendations Government: – Improve access to business information and government officials – Support business associations – Reduce corruption by government officials – Simplify licensing processes – Address crime and safety issues Private Sector – Public-private dialogues – Partner with business associations (e.g. training) – Sponsor networking and mentorship programs

Questions?