SMEC’s Internationalization

It was practically since the start of Thai SME project in 1999 that J-SMECA members began embarking on their consulting business oversea. In this project, the Shindan technique, the core of the know-how gained by SMECs, was first proved to be an internationally acceptable skill applicable to SMEs in foreign countries as well.The next concern for the Shindan technical transfer was the financial aspect to assist such big projects that involve a significant amount of money to send SMECs abroad.
Since around the turn of the century, Japanese ODA organizations have begun taking up the SME assisting projects in their programs of assistance to developing countries.
According to the survey compiled by Tokyo Branch of J-SMECA, a total of 73 SMECs were engaged in the consulting related business with foreign countries.
It should be noted that these numbers are those of total persons engaged in overseas business and not the manpower measured in man-month or man-hour.
It is noticeable that the organizations established by JICA, called Japan Centers, played an important role in this field by employing about 1/3 of total SMECs engaged in overseas business. In terms of the regions, Vietnam has the biggest demand for SMECs, next to China and Thailand which used to be the biggest.

Abbreviations in the Table

JICA

Japan International Cooperation Agency

JODC

Japan Overseas Development Corporation

JETRO

Japan External Trade Organization

JBIC

Japan Bank for International Cooperation

AOTS

Association for Overseas Technical Scholarship

NEDO

New Energy and Technical Development Organization

Survey　of　SMECｓ