SMEs and entrepreneurs heavily depend on skills to stay competitive and face greater challenges than larger firms in accessing and retaining skilled labour. Against the background of tight labour markets, skills gaps for SMEs are being exacerbated by the green and digital transitions. Rapid technological changes, notably the generative AI revolution, and the shift towards more sustainable business models are driving the demand for new, multidimensional skills-set. In this context, this paper takes an innovative approach to assess SMEs’ skills gaps, focusing on bundles of skills that encompass entrepreneurial, green, and digital dimensions. Additionally, building on the EC-OECD project “Unleashing SME Potential to Scale Up”, it provides insights from a mapping of 244 national policies and 132 institutions that facilitate access to skills for SMEs and entrepreneurs across the 38 OECD member countries.
Equipping SMEs with the skills to navigate the twin transition
OECD SME and Entrepreneurship Papers
