Strengthening statistics on business

Introduction

This Triangular Cooperation Initiative, supported by the ADELANTE Window, brought together three key institutions; the National Statistics Office of the Dominican Republic (ONE), the National Institute of Statistics of Uruguay (INE), and the Foundation for the Analysis and Strategic Development of SMEs (FAEDPYME) from Spain aimed at strengthening business statistics with a particular focus on Micro, Small, and Medium-sized Enterprises (MSMEs) in the Dominican Republic.

Objectives

This Triangular Cooperation Initiative sought to share the expertise of the Partnership entities in order to develop statistical information tools in the business sector, with an emphasis on MSMEs and centred on the design, monitoring and evaluation of public policies for the productive sectors.

A collaborative approach

Each partner brought valuable expertise to the initiative:

• ONE (Dominican Republic), Beneficiary, leader in business statistics production, ensuring data collection aligns with national development goals.
• INE (Uruguay), First Provider, offered best practices in economic statistics, particularly in survey design, administrative records, and business data management.
• FAEDPYME (Spain), Second Provider, offered specialized research and training in MSME statistics, focusing on post-pandemic economic recovery and business resilience.

The Partnership was certain that reliable economic and business statistics are essential for evidence-based policymaking. However, statistical systems in Latin America often face gaps in coverage, availability, and methodological consistency. This initiative aimed to:

• Expand and improve business statistics for better policy planning and decision-making.
• Strengthen data collection and analysis methodologies, particularly for MSMEs.
• Enhance the use of administrative records and economic surveys for business intelligence.
• Develop a sustainable information management model adaptable to other Latin American and Caribbean contexts.

By leveraging Triangular Cooperation, the Initiative promoted mutual learning, innovation in statistical methodologies, and capacity building among partners.

Project activities

This initiative was structured around six key activities, which, based on an initial assessment, aim to create opportunities for reflection and training in order to strengthen statistical expertise. 

Key activities included:

• Capacity building: a core component of the initiative was training professionals in the collection, management, and analysis of business statistics:
  • FAEDPYME led training sessions on research techniques and strategic analysis of MSMEs.
  • ONE and INE teams participated in workshops on improving business data collection methodologies, gender-sensitive statistics, and environmental indicators.
  • Over 150 public sector professionals were engaged in training activities.
• Model implementation: to support evidence-based policymaking, FAEDPYME conducted a study on MSMEs using data from the ENHOGAR 2022 survey in the Dominican Republic. The study:
  • Identified key trends and challenges in the MSME sector.
  • Offered strategic recommendations for MSME support policies.
  • Informed the creation of a business statistics information management model.
  • Was disseminated through virtual workshops for statisticians and policymakers.
• Community engagement: a final seminar held in Santo Domingo in March 2023 brought together:
  • Government officials, private sector actors and academic institutions.
  • Experts in business statistics and economic policy.
  • Members of the Dominican Republic’s National Statistical System.

During this seminar, the business statistics model developed through the initiative was presented, ensuring its sustainability and potential replication across the region.

Cross-cutting themes

Throughout the initiative, cross-cutting themes were integrated to enhance the quality and impact of business statistics:

• Gender-inclusive data: improving the measurement of women-led businesses and gender disparities in the business sector.
• Environmental sustainability: incorporating resource efficiency indicators in business statistics.

By embedding these themes into training programs, data collection methodologies, and policy discussions, the Initiative ensured that business statistics reflect the realities of diverse economic actors.

Results

Through this Triangular Cooperation Initiative, the knowledge and expertise of the Partnership's member entities in the field of statistics on business was used to develop a sustainable business statistics model, entitled: Methodological document on the production of business statistics in the Dominican Republic, with a focus on gender, youth and the environment..

Therefore, ONE enhanced its ability to produce high-quality business statistics, aligning with national development plans. On the other hand, statistical indicators developed through the Initiative are now used in monitoring and evaluating economic policies.

The results of this Initiative have contributed and aligned with SDG 8 ‘Decent Work & Economic Growth’, supporting entrepreneurship, formalization of MSMEs, and sustainable business growth, particularly targets:

• Target 8.3 Promote development-oriented policies that support productive activities, decent job creation, entrepreneurship, creativity and innovation, and encourage the formalization and growth of micro-, small- and medium-sized enterprises, including through access to financial services.
• Target 8.4 Improve progressively, through 2030, global resource efficiency in consumption and production and endeavour to decouple economic growth from environmental degradation, in accordance with the 10-year framework of programmes on sustainable consumption and production, with developed countries taking the lead.
• Target 8.6 By 2020, substantially reduce the proportion of youth not in employment, education or training.

This Triangular Cooperation Initiative successfully advanced business statistics production and analysis, demonstrating the importance of collaborative learning and knowledge exchange in economic data management.

By reinforcing the capacity of statistical institutions, this Initiative lays the foundation for more informed economic policies, stronger MSME development, and a more resilient business sector in Latin America and the Caribbean.

Implementing partner

National Statistics Office of the Dominican Republic - ONE