# small and medium enterprises

> type of business

**Wikidata**: [Q622439](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q622439)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Small_and_medium_enterprises)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/small-and-medium-enterprises

## Summary
Small and medium enterprises (SMEs) are a type of business classification that represents organizational units producing goods or services with a certain degree of autonomy in decision-making, especially for resource allocation. These businesses fall under the broader category of enterprises while being distinguished from micro-enterprises, which employ nine people or fewer.

## Key Facts
- Also known as SME, Small and medium-sized businesses, SMB, SMEs, artisans, handicrafts, and trades
- Instance of: Q1969448, Q11862829
- Subclass of: Q6881511, Q10541491
- Wikipedia title: Small and medium enterprises
- Wikidata description: type of business
- Sitelink count: 36
- P227 identifier: 4031031-0
- P268 identifier: 11934172k
- P349 identifier: 00573948
- P373: Small and medium-sized enterprises
- P508: 13238
- P646: /m/0272kb
- P691: ph115211, ph126212
- P1036: 338.642, 658.022, 332.67222
- P1245: 1156438
- P1296: 0272528
- P1813: SMES
- P2347: 8246
- P2671: /g/11fk8dhdm8
- P3417: Small-and-Medium-Enterprises
- P3509: smaforetagare
- P3911: 18120-0
- P5250: 60
- P5337: CAAqIggKIhxDQkFTRHdvSkwyMHZNREkzTW10aUVnSjFheWdBUAE
- P5429: mediatopic/20001172
- P5437: 2359
- P6293: Y98107
- P6366: 48879800
- P7033: scot/5766
- P7870: 62576
- P8309: 18-11986
- P8313: Små_og_mellemstore_virksomheder_(SMV)
- P8885: 중소기업
- P9346: pmi-pme
- P9475: E0053801
- P9941: pmi
- P10283: C48879800, C2987537975
- P12385: petita-i-mitjana-empresa
- P13591: concept/a578f120-91d8-441b-a799-e937f4c2bc91
- Micro-enterprise inception date: +2011-07-00T00:00:00Z
- Micro-enterprise definition: small business employing nine people or fewer
- Enterprise definition: organizational unit producing goods or services, which benefits from a certain degree of autonomy in decision-making, especially for the allocation of its current resources

## FAQs
**What are the common abbreviations and terms used for small and medium enterprises?**
Small and medium enterprises are commonly abbreviated as SME, SMEs, or SMB. They are also referred to as small and medium-sized businesses, artisans, handicrafts, and trades depending on the context and region.

**How does a small and medium enterprise differ from a micro-enterprise?**
A micro-enterprise is defined as a small business employing nine people or fewer, while small and medium enterprises represent a broader category that encompasses businesses of varying sizes beyond this threshold. The micro-enterprise classification was established in July 2011.

**What is the relationship between small and medium enterprises and other business classifications?**
Small and medium enterprises are instances of Q1969448 and Q11862829, and are subclasses of Q6881511 and Q10541491. They are part of the broader enterprise category, which refers to organizational units producing goods or services with autonomous decision-making capabilities.

**What types of legal forms can small and medium enterprises take?**
Small and medium enterprises can adopt various legal forms depending on the jurisdiction, as legal form refers to the type of legal entity within a certain legal system. The specific legal structure affects taxation, liability, and operational requirements.

## Why It Matters
Small and medium enterprises represent a crucial segment of the global economy, serving as the backbone of many national economies worldwide. These businesses contribute significantly to employment generation, innovation, and economic growth, often demonstrating greater flexibility and adaptability compared to large corporations. Their importance extends beyond pure economic metrics, as they often serve as the foundation for entrepreneurship, local community development, and market diversification. The classification helps policymakers, researchers, and financial institutions develop targeted support mechanisms, regulations, and programs specifically designed to address the unique challenges and opportunities faced by businesses of this scale.

## Notable For
- Representing a distinct business classification that bridges micro-enterprises and large corporations
- Being recognized globally with 36 sitelinks across different language versions of Wikipedia
- Having standardized definitions that distinguish them from micro-enterprises (businesses with nine or fewer employees)
- Possessing unique identification codes across multiple international databases and classification systems
- Playing a critical role in economic policy development and business support programs worldwide

## Body
### Classification and Definition
Small and medium enterprises (SMEs) constitute a fundamental business classification that sits within the broader enterprise category. An enterprise is defined as an organizational unit producing goods or services, which benefits from a certain degree of autonomy in decision-making, especially for the allocation of its current resources. SMEs represent businesses that exceed the size limitations of micro-enterprises, which are specifically defined as small businesses employing nine people or fewer. This classification system was formalized with the micro-enterprise definition established in July 2011.

The term "small and medium enterprises" itself qualifies as both a term from a specialized area of knowledge and potentially relates to academic disciplines focused on business studies, economics, and entrepreneurship. This dual nature reflects the intersection of practical business categorization and academic research into business typologies.

### International Recognition and Identifiers
Small and medium enterprises enjoy extensive international recognition, evidenced by their presence in multiple classification systems and databases. The entity possesses numerous standardized identifiers across different systems: P227 identifier 4031031-0, P268 identifier 11934172k, P349 identifier 00573948, and P646 identifier /m/0272kb among others. The P373 identifier specifically references "Small and medium-sized enterprises," confirming the terminology used across international contexts.

Additional identifiers include P508: 13238, P691: ph115211 and ph126212, P1036 numerical codes 338.642, 658.022, 332.67222, and P1296: 0272528. The P1813 abbreviation "SMES" indicates the shortened form commonly used in documentation and databases. Multiple alternative identifiers exist such as P2347: 8246, P2671: /g/11fk8dhdm8, and P3417: Small-and-Medium-Enterprises.

### Terminology and Aliases
The concept goes by numerous names and abbreviations, reflecting its international usage and recognition. Common aliases include SME, Small and medium-sized businesses, artisans, handicrafts, trades, small and medium-sized businesses, SMB, and SMEs. The P3509 identifier "smaforetagare" represents the Swedish term, while P8313 "Små_og_mellemstore_virksomheder_(SMV)" represents the Danish equivalent. The Korean term appears as P8885: 중소기업, and the Catalan version as P12385: petita-i-mitjana-empresa.

International variations continue with P9346: pmi-pme representing the French terminology (petites et moyennes entreprises), and P9941: pmi representing the Italian version (piccole e medie imprese). The SEO identifier P5337: CAAqIggKIhxDQkFTRHdvSkwyMHZNREkzTW10aUVnSjFheWdBUAE and media topic identifier P5429: mediatopic/20001172 demonstrate ongoing digital and media relevance.

### Academic and Statistical Classifications
The Dewey Decimal Classification system assigns numbers 338.642, 658.022, and 332.67222 to topics related to small and medium enterprises under P1036. The Library of Congress Subject Headings system recognizes the topic with P1245: 1156438, while the National Diet Library of Japan uses P349: 00573948.

Statistical classifications include P5250: 60, indicating its position in statistical taxonomy systems. The NTA (Netherlands Institute for Art History) identifier P7870: 62576 suggests inclusion in cultural and economic documentation systems. The ISBN identifier P8309: 18-11986 indicates the topic's presence in published literature.

### Digital and Database Presence
The entity maintains significant digital presence with P2671: /g/11fk8dhdm8 representing its Google Knowledge Graph identifier. The Microsoft Academic Graph identifier P6293: Y98107 indicates scholarly recognition, while the Open Library identifier P6366: 48879800 shows book catalog inclusion.

The BNF (Bibliothèque nationale de France) authority file uses P268: 11934172k, and the SUDOC (French university library system) uses P7033: scot/5766. The VIAF (Virtual International Authority File) identifier P12385: petita-i-mitjana-empresa connects various international authority files.

### Related Concepts and Taxonomy
Small and medium enterprises are instances of Q1969448 and Q11862829 in the Wikidata classification system, indicating their position within broader ontological structures. They are subclasses of Q6881511 and Q10541491, showing their hierarchical relationship to other business concepts.

The connection to legal form as a type of legal entity within certain legal systems demonstrates the regulatory dimension of SME classification. This relationship affects how these businesses operate within different jurisdictions and legal frameworks.

The entity's connection to terms from specialized areas of knowledge and academic disciplines reflects its importance in scholarly research and specialized vocabularies. This positioning indicates that SMEs are not merely descriptive categories but represent important analytical concepts in business and economic research.

## References

1. [Source](https://unesdoc.unesco.org/ark:/48223/pf0000260592)
2. Directory of Open Access Journals
3. [Nuovo soggettario](https://thes.bncf.firenze.sbn.it/termine.php?id=13238)
4. Nuovo soggettario
5. Freebase Data Dumps. 2013
6. Integrated Authority File
7. [Source](https://www.eib.org/en/infocentre/glossary/index.htm)
8. Quora
9. [OpenAlex](https://docs.openalex.org/download-snapshot/snapshot-data-format)