The Role Of SMEs In Sustainable Regional Development

Most SMEs perceive environmental improvement as a costly burden. As they are primarily concerned with short-term economic survival, they are not motivated to ask for or use environmental information or support. SMEs often lack the time, information and money they need to improve matters. In addition, smaller manufacturing companies often do not have staff with sufficient environmental knowledge and expertise to be able to address problems and opportunities in the environmental field. Existing international environmental management schemes are often too complex for them to handle. This thesis focuses on small manufacturing enterprises (SMEs) and the role they play in the field of sustainable regional development. The Governorate of Ismailia in Egypt will be selected as a case study. Thus the social, economic and environmental influences of SMEs in a region will be explained. Furthermore, these influences will be evaluated in terms of sustainable development, and the available opportunities and potential, which SMEs can use to achieve sustainable regional development goals, will be estimated.