Executive Summary

Small Matters: Global evidence on the contribution to employment by the self-employed, micro-enterprises and SMEs [Executive Summary]

This report examines worldwide evidence of the contribution that the selfemployed and enterprises of different size classes make to total employment. A key finding is that, globally, the self-employed and micro- and small enterprises account for the largest share of total employment.

The estimates presented here are based on a new ILO database that draws on national household and labour force surveys (as opposed to firm-based surveys) from 99 countries in all the world regions except for North America.