JEDDAH, 15 February — Owners of small businesses are demanding representation on trips taking Saudi delegations to various countries, arguing they need to be exposed to innovative business practices.
The issue was discussed by representatives of the local chambers at a recent meeting in Riyadh hosted by the Council of Saudi Chambers of Commerce and Industry (CSCCI). Small businesses make up 85 percent of all businesses activity in the Kingdom and employ over three million in a total work force in the private sector of around four million.
The meeting by the secretaries general of the 12 local chambers debated the inclusion of small firms in future visits to foreign countries by Saudi delegations after it was brought forward for discussion by the representatives of the local chamber in the Al-Ahsa region.
“Small establishments need support and assistance to enable them to expand their investments and become acquainted with the latest in business technology. This would reflect positively on the local market,” said a CSCCI official.
Analysts cite the inability to secure bank loans, a lack of trained staff, the scarcity of skilled labor, productivity and marketing constraints, mismanagement and excessive overheads as the main problems facing small businesses in the Kingdom.
