The effect of governmental policies for international consolidation of small and midsize enterprises in Mexico

Successful performance in the international market of Mexican exporting small and midsize enterprises (SMEs) is essential for the financial health of the Mexican economy. SMEs employ 70% of the total workforce and produce 50% of the gross domestic product (GDP), but 75% of SMEs go bankrupt within two years after their establishment. The Mexican government vowed to support Mexican SMEs through BANCOMEXT in the National Plan of Development. Since 1937, BANCOMEXT has provided governmental support to exporter SMEs in the form of assistance programs (i.e., marketing, financial resources, and growth). This quantitative, quasi-experimental study assessed the SMEs leaders' perception in the effectiveness of assistance programs of BANCOMEXT. A convenience sample of 77 SME executives completed a survey focused on their perceptions of BANCOMEXT's degree of assistance to Mexican SMEs in three areas: marketing, financial resources, and growth. The hypotheses posited that those with governmental support would have better perceptions of the support of the Mexican government in terms of their marketing, financial resources, and growth than those without this support. Non significant differences were found between the perceptions of those with and without support from BANCOMEXT for marketing assistance and growth assistance programs. Significant differences were evident regarding the perception of financial resources received from BANCOMEXT. The results of this study showed that assistance programs of BANCOMEXT needs an adequate and timely coordination of government support considering outcomes information by enterprise to consolidate SMEs in the international market.