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SME
Table SME 1: Expenditure on R&D by size of small business
Table SME 2: No. of small businesses
Table SME 3: No. of persons employed in non-agricultural small businesses
Definition
The ABS defines small businesses as those employing less than 100 in Manufacturing industries and less than 20 in other industries.
A micro business is usually defined as one with fewer than five employees (full-time or part-time), including non-employing businesses.
SME Highlights
A 2001 survey of 1800 SMEs in Australia showed that 90 per cent owned a computer, 76 per cent were connected to the internet and 69 per cent had an email address. This survey showed that of those SMEs connected to the internet, 32 per cent had a home page or dedicated internet site.
SME Policies and Incentives
- The Commonwealth Government's $6.5 million Small Business Assistance package, announced in September 2001, is providing tools and information to accelerate the uptake of e-commerce by small business and to facilitate online access to government purchasing.
- A July 2002 report showed that the proportion of small businesses that paid for products and services over the Internet almost doubled during the last year-from 23 to 40 per cent.
- A 2001 survey of 1800 SMEs in Australia showed that the vast majority (90 per cent) owned a computer, 76 per cent were connected to the internet and 69 per cent had an email address. This survey showed that of those SMEs connected to the internet, 32 per cent had a home page or dedicated internet site.
- The Australian Bureau of Statistics tells us there are now more than 21,000 ICT businesses in this country with fewer than 20 employees. More than three-quarters of them have fewer than four people working within them to develop that innovative new product or service.
- Australian firms receiving venture capital experienced 20 per cent annual growth, compared with growth of 2 per cent in other areas.
Further Reading
