In 2002, the Mexican SME Observatory was a project promoted by the IDB and developed by the Università di Bologna, with representation in Buenos Aires, and the Intersectoral Commission for Industrial Policy of the Secretary of Economy of the Government of the United States of Mexico. The National Institute of Statistics, Geography and Informatics of the Government of Mexico (INEGI) and the Mexican Business Council participated in the execution of the works.
 

In 2003, the first results of the pilot survey in Mexico and Argentina were presented. Subsequently, an analysis of the information situation of SMEs in Chile and Brazil and the prospects for the extension of the Latin American Observatory of SMEs to these countries was carried out.

 

As a result of these investigations, a report was carried out, which we can characterize as a methodological proposal to correct the information problems and generate knowledge that allows evaluating the impact of public policies, designing support programs, promoting exports and achieving a better performance of the small and medium-sized companies in the countries of the region. It is, at the same time, an institutional design proposal to articulate at the national and regional level all the interests at stake that may, in some way, condition the formation of a Latin American Observatory of SMEs. In addition to the Università di Bologna and the Inter-American Development Bank, the following participated in this project: the National Institute of Statistics, Geography and Informatics (INEGI) and the Mexican Ministry of Economy; the National Institute of Statistics and Censuses (INDEC) of Argentina; the Industrial Union and the Chamber of Commerce of Argentina; and the Business Coordinating Council of Mexico.