ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses the issues faced in designing and implementing Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) policy evaluations. It considers both challenges and solutions, and offers a practical framework, using the methods most often available to evaluators, for undertaking cost-effective, meaningful evaluations. The chapter also discusses the main challenges for SME policy and programmed evaluations and reviewed some useful tools for conducting them. There are many challenges in evaluating SME policies, including lack of clarity in expectations and difficulties identifying causality, but there are tools that policymakers and programmed administrators can use to address these challenges. The chapter focuses on a mix of evaluation tools, their strengths and weaknesses and how they can be combined to suit different purposes. Sound understanding of six useful methods detailed in this chapter can help tailor the design of an evaluation to suit the purposes and resorting available. These tools are: activity measures, satisfaction feedback, surveys, focus groups, interviews and case studies.
