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i. Capture SMEs’ perceptions of the most significant barriers to
exporting/internationalising. For the purpose of comparative analysis, the survey
would list a number of known barriers and invites SMEs either to rank the barriers
according to their perception of which are the most or least significant factors they
face in internationalisation, or seek their views using a Likert scale (i.e. ‘extremely
significant, very significant, significant, somewhat significant, not significant’) to
obtain their response.
ii. SMEs’ awareness, participation and assessment of government programmes aimed at
enabling SMEs to overcome barriers to exporting/internationalising.
iii. SMEs’ participation in other (non-government) programmes intended to support their
internationalisation.
 In-depth case studies of SME export support programmes, combining quantitative and
qualitative elements, to identify factors of success or failure and challenges to their
improvement and/or expansion.
 Interviews to specialists and scholars in OIC Member States.
The in-depth evaluation would allow to follow up on the broad areas for policy action identified in this
report and develop detailed country-level recommendations. These latter would need to take into
account the specific national business environment, institutional framework and governance
mechanisms, in order to identify the concrete measures to achieve the objectives indicated in section
5.1 and the most appropriate policy delivery mechanisms.