Methodology of measuring SMEs

Data problems and lack of information about the total population of Moldovan SMEs were repeatedly mentioned by the various experts and representatives of organizations and associations working with these firms during the interviews we conducted with them. While Statistica Moldovei compiles and provides a set of data on SMEs, there is a large discrepancy between the total population of SMEs and the number of registered SMEs on one hand, and those included in these data on the other. The total population of SMEs is estimated to be around 150,000, excluding farmers registered by local administrations, while the data of the statistical office cover 60,000 companies. Moreover, these sets of data and indicators are only a small proportion of what is required by the organizations, associations and government agencies that work on SME issues. The limited human and financial resources of the statistical office explain why it is limited in being able to fulfill its legal and international obligations in terms of the data and indicators published. Furthermore, there are various entities in Moldova, which are SMEs by definitions, but for various reasons they do not provide data to the statistical office, thus they are left out of the official statistics.

Statistica Moldovei publishes data regularly on the number of SMEs, number of employees in SMEs, their share in total sales, sectoral breakdown according to the number of companies and turnover, pre-tax profits and losses.

The international comparison is aggravated by the fact that the Office uses an SME definition which is different from that of the EU (though this is justified

48 South Transdanubian Wine Tourism Cluster was brought to life with the support of the so-called “Turisztikai klaszterek fejlesztése” (Developing Tourism Clusters) call in 2010.

on the basis of the different levels of per capita GDP; using the EU definition would result in a negligible number of large companies in Moldova).

In the framework of the present project, we have compiled a list of publications and projects dealing with SMEs in Moldova. We have found 14 publications, which directly or indirectly analyze Moldovan SMEs, including scientific publications as well as studies prepared by international organizations (such as the OECD).

In Hungary, partly due to the obligations due to membership in the European Union and other international organizations (especially in the OECD), the Hungarian Central Statistical Office collects and calculates data for various characteristics of SMEs (based on the EU definition of SMEs). Besides the regularly published statistics, occasional publications also deal with the topic (see e.g. http://www.ksh.hu/docs/hun/xftp/stattukor/kkv12.pdf). The Central Statistical Office collects information from companies on a quarterly or annual basis, depending on the type of company (e.g. engaged in foreign trade or not). Data can be submitted both electronically and on paper (by fax or by mail). Companies which fail to comply with the data requirements may be fined.

Moreover, there are various surveys carried out by researchers and think tanks on the whole or part of the SME population in Hungary. For example, the internationalization of Hungarian SMEs has been addressed by numerous research projects. (See e.g. Inzelt (2011), Szerb and Márkus (2008) or the results of a survey conducted by the Hungarian Development Bank (Mikesy, 2013).

Another frequently addressed topic is the barriers to SME growth (see e.g. GKI’s analysis in Andrási et al., 2009) and SME financing, including venture capital (see e.g. Karsai (2013); Némethné (2009) or ICEG EC (2006). Pitti (see e.g. 2011) calculates various statistical indicators for Hungarian SMEs on the basis of the tax declarations of companies. Altogether we could compile a list with 42 scientific publications on Hungarian SMEs in the framework of the present project, the overwhelming majority of which was published recently (after Hungary joined the European Union). Thus, while we cannot say that there is an abundance of relevant information in Hungary, research, policy formation and evaluation can be based on a sufficient and solid information base.

The final solution to the problem is of course complying with the requirements of Eurostat and applying the Small Business Act of the European Union, including the SME Performance Review. In the meantime, a systematic representative survey of Moldovan SMEs, preceded by a pilot survey and supplemented by a set of in-depth interviews with a representative group of SMEs would certainly be required in order to first, have a clearer picture than before about the main

characteristics of Moldovan SMEs, and second, to determine the possibilities (and costs) of extending the coverage of data collection of Statistica Moldovei.

This type of database would be indispensable for formulating policies and measuring the efficiency of them. Existing data should be “converted” using the EU standard definitions of SMEs to make international comparisons easier.

Public money as well as available foreign financial support should be used for these data collection aims, as at present, projects trying to help local SMEs are in many cases experimenting in the dark. On the other hand, the limited financing may justify carrying out surveys which concentrate only on a few areas, but may result in the collection of information and data, which would be especially relevant from a policy point of view. On the basis of the expert interviews, the following areas may be especially worth analyzing:

• high growth SMEs;

• internationalized SMEs (exporting and/or having invested abroad), including born globals;

• clustering activities of/cooperation among SMEs.