1. SME Survey in Mongolia - First Results Market Issues

2. Mongolia SME Observatory Results The following slides summarize the responses of 1511 SME interviews conducted by staff of the SME Department of the Ministry of Labour of Mongolia in September 2014. A large number of cross tabulations is possible, but for this presentation, we have chosen in most cases to provide two slides for each question asked: One which shows the variations for three “super regions” representing groups of regions (aimags) and districts of the capital city Ulaanbaatar; One which show cross-tabulation based on education of the proprietor, number of people employed/engaged in the SME, sector etc.

3. Mongolia SME Observatory Results We asked SMEs to think about trends in the market, levels of competition as they experience it, how they sell and to whom, who they buy from. We asked if customers are wholesale, retail or both; also whether they work mainly with other SMEs. Where do they source their purchases? We wanted a detailed picture of the business operating environment. We also asked SMEs whether they participate in, or are even interested in, public procurement opportunities, given that this is a key area for policy development.

4. Mongolia SME Observatory Results Mongolian SMEs are operating in an environment which they see as increasingly competitive and one subject to increasing penetration by imports. They have little or no access (or perhaps the networks or skills) to engage in export. The conflicting answers to some of the questions indicates that SMEs are also not always aware of the nature of the end client, but there is a bias to retail. This is reflected in the number that have their own retail outlets or other mechanisms for selling directly to the public. Few SMEs are exploiting the opportunities for online business: on the other hand, many appreciate the benefits of participating is trade fairs and other promotional activities.